Gender, School Attainment and Occupational Plans: Determinants of Aspirations and Expectations among Australian Urban School Leavers

Abstract

This paper examines the factors related to the occupational plans of a sample of imminent Australian urban school leavers (N = 2135), with particular attention directed to differences by gender and level of school attainment (grade level). The conceptual distinction between preferred and expected occupational plans is discussed and empirically examined. Generally, males have higher career plans than females, as do students with higher levels of school attainment. Expected occupational destinations are more predictable, in terms of the variables in the model, than preferred occupations. Finally there appears to be no systematic variation in the disparities between preferred and expected occupation. The relevance of these findings for understanding career orientations and the need for further research into the formation and attainment of occupational goals is discussed.