Vocational guidance in childhood and career aspirations by gender

Abstract

The aim of this work is to identify the areas of study and the factors that children take into account to choose their career or occupation aspirations. The research is based on the contextual and evolutionary theories of people’s life cycle and integrates the traditional professions by gender; in addition, it implements a research-action project in groups of primary-school level in two schools of Tepatitlán, Jalisco (Mexico). The results reveal that the fields of knowledge are still chosen according to gender and the most frequent are health sciences, biotechnology and agricultural sciences, humanities and engineering; the factors of interaction with larger registrations are macro- and micro-level (immediate and proximate environment), this is to say family and school. Childhood is a period of vocational attainment, vocational guidance programs in basic education will expand the information panorama and create favorable conditions for children.