The higher education setting selected is a university that teaches diverse courses in areas such as humanities, social sciences and applied sciences. The institution is fully equipped in terms of members of faculty and resources like libraries to facilitate easier learning by the students. The student population is diverse with both local and international students. Most of the international students are from regions in Europe, North America and Asia. In terms of gender, most of the ladies prefer courses in humanities and social sciences due to their high numbers of the ladies enrolled in these courses. However, most of the male students are evenly spread in the course areas even though they are the majority in the applied sciences section.
Application of Super’s Theory
One of the ways of applying the theory is for the career counselor or advisor to conduct assessment of students. The career counselor at the university conducts interviews to assess the levels of career maturity in a student (Patton & McMahon, 2014). The interview reveals whether the student has a career plan. Most of the students in their initial years at the university are undecided on the specific career they want to pursue. It is the duty of the career counselor at the university to offer direction and guidance to such students through referrals for advice, course selection and conducting follow-ups.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The students that are targeted are those that have an idea of their career interest but are unsure of the subject combinations and majors that would ensure they attain their career aspirations. Such students face problems due to anxiety and problems in self-identity. The career advisor at the institution assists such students in formulating goals and identifying their interests and skills.
The second way of applying the theory is for the career counselor or advisor to assist the student in conducting self-examination to determine capabilities, interests and values (Zhang, J., Yuen & Chen, 2018). The counselor works collaboratively with the student to develop a program of study towards the desired career after the first year of study at the university. The first year of study involves orientation and covering general education courses. In the second year, the student demonstrates higher levels of self-awareness and is enthusiastic on focusing on the career goals. The development of a program of study will facilitate the visualization of the end of the undergraduate phase of studies (Rosemond & Owens, 2018). At this stage, the consideration of the course major that the student will pursue is one of the main issues addressed. The advisor guides students in identifying how a subject major translates into career skills.
The third way of applying the theory is for the counselor to enhance stabilization, self-assurance and feelings of security by the student. The student has developed self-confidence and is adhering to the program of study. The counselor assists the student in investigating jobs that relate to the subject major being studied (Martin, 2015). The counselor facilitates the student access experiential opportunities in the third year of study such as internships, cooperative education or being attached to a mentor.
Conclusion
The application of Super’s theory in the high education environment ensures students attain their envisaged goals where the attained skills facilitate employment. The development of a program of study in the formative years by the student is vital in ensuring they remain on course of attaining their career goals. The career counselor or advisor plays an integral role in minimizing the higher levels of ambivalence demonstrated by students when deciding their career goals after joining university.
References
Martin, T. (2015). Career development : Theories , practices and challenges . New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Patton, W. & McMahon, M. (2014). Career development and systems theory : Connecting theory and practice (3 rd ed). New York. Pearson.
Rosemond, M. & Owens, D. (2018). Exploring career development in emerging adult collegians. Education, 138 (4): 337-352.
Zhang, J., Yuen, M. & Chen, G. (2018). Teacher support for career development: An integrative review and research agenda. Career Development International, 23 (2): 122-144.
