Understanding the Career Aspirations of Diverse Community College Students. (May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gregor, Margo A.; Pino, Heather V. Ganginis Del; Gonzalez, Alejandra; Soto, Samsara; Dunn, Marianne G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of career assessment. Volume 28:Number 2(2020:May)
• Page Start: 202
• Page End: 218
• Publication Date: 2020-05
• Subjects: community college students -- career aspirations -- coping with barriers -- compromising career for family -- career barriers -- educational aspirations -- achievement aspirations; Vocational guidance -- Periodicals; 331.702
• DOI: 10.1177/1069072719849872
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1069-0727

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the relative contributions of career predictors (self-efficacy, career barriers, and coping-efficacy for overcoming barriers) in predicting educational and achievement aspirations in a diverse sample of community college students. Data from 236 community college students were utilized. Results from hierarchical regressions suggested that career-decision self-efficacy, college self-efficacy, compromising career for partner, perceptions of barriers, and coping efficacy in overcoming barriers were unique predictors of achievement and educational aspirations. As hypothesized, coping efficacy accounted for variance above and beyond the contributions of self-efficacy and barriers in predicting aspirations. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.