Career decision-making skills of primary education students in Greece : planning of career guidance activities throughout the curriculum

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to construct a theoretically driven and psychometrically sound career decision making skills questionnaire to measure the dimensions that contribute to career decision-making of 6th grade primary education students. Principal components analyses indicated the presence of three empirically derived components that contribute to career decision making of primary education students and call for demands to develop educational activities throughout the curriculum. These career guidance activities have three main goals: (a) investigation of the world of work in relation with students’ self awareness, (b) development of simple strategies of decision making and problem solving, (c) awareness of the relationships among variables such as personal characteristics, school attendance, and life preparation. These activities can be used in school settings and have a strong effect on students’ understanding of how choices and planning affect their future.