Gambling in the careers lottery: A consumer approach to career choice?

Abstract

One of the principal aims of the education and training ‘business’ as emphasised by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) is ‘supporting economic growth by promoting a competitive, efficient and flexible labour market’ (Rajan et al, 1997). Existing models of occupational decision-making, however, have proved inadequate to explain the behaviour of individuals in relation to their entry into and mobility within the labour market, and have, therefore, provided difficulties for policy makers in their planning to achieve intended labour market outcomes. The assumption that young people will make choices based on the need to acquire the skills most in demand in the labour market has not been supported by this research. The models presented in this article provide a broad picture of some of the complex perspectives and processes at work in career decision-making among young people, supporting the notion that the macro-scale character of the labour market can be seen as the sum of long- and short-term decision-making by individuals. © 1999 Journal of Vocational Education and Training. All right reserved.