Beroepsverwagtinge van 'n groep Afrikaanssprekende st. 10 meisies

[摘要] This study had a dual objective. The first was to determine which factorsinfluenced the career choice of girls and the second whether�?their�?actualchoices coincided with their aptitudes.Socialization has a direct influence on the identification of girls with theircareers. From an early age their behaviour is in line with the traditionalroles (femininity, attractiveness, etc.) which society holds up to them.This is also true about occupations regarded as being suitable for girls.Girls therefore tend to choose their careers from a limited sphere.The style of parents' upbringing of their children also has an influenceon the development of a girl's sex role identity, and therefore her careerorientation. The peer group, especially male friends, has a tremendousinfluence during adolescence on the formation of a girl's sex role identityand career orientation. Pressure from the peer group tends to make girlsfeel that popularity and attractiveness are more important than academicachievement and high professional aspirations. It also appears thatteachers do not play a significant role in the career orientation of girls.The influence of television on the career orientation of girls can be tracedback to the influence on the patterns of interest of television viewers.It emerges that television programmes represent sex roles in a stereotypedmanner. Through that, patterns of interest in the fields of Socialwork and Practical-female (19-Field Interest Questionnaire) are reinforced.School counsellors do not have a big influence on the career choices ofgirls.Boys and girls both regard the aspects of interest highly in making achoice of career. Girls tend, however, to give high credence to therendering of service and to welfare. Boys tend to look more strongly atgood income and good opportunities for promotion.The training of girls is directed more at the development of aptitudes ina field in the Humanities, in secretarial and clerking positions. The resultof this is that girls mostly follow a domestic, caring and administrativecourse of study.The career values of girls and their self-image have a negative influenceon their career orientation. This leads to the situation that fear ofsuccess inhibits them from developing their full professional potential.Other factors, such as manpower shortages, economic and political conditions,the improvement of the level of education and professionalknowledge separately or in conjunction, have an influence on girls' careerpreferences and expectations.For the purposes of this study the Senior Aptitude Test, professionalprofiles identified with the aid of the Senior Aptitude Test and a questionnairewere used. Three aspects are covered by the questionnaire:* Field of study* Career expectations* Choice of careerAll the Afrikaans-speaking matriculants of four Afrikaans-medium highschools in a particular metropolitan area participated in the project.The data were statistically processed with an SAS computer programme.Fields of study and aptitudes of the study group do not correlate. Mostrespondents' strongest aptitudes are in the Humanities, while they arein fact following courses in the field of Economics.Most respondents are of the opinion that there are adequate work opportunitiesfor white girls in the RSA, but feel that career counsellingdid not make adequate provision for girls.The study group are of the opinion that girls can do traditionally malejobs. There is a fair amount of uncertainty, however, about the professionalfuture of white girls in a changing RSA. Professional training isthus regarded as being very important.More than half of the group (67,2%) expert to marry and still to have acareer.Most of the respondents (176 out of 277) have made a fin3l career choice.The reason why the rest have not made career choices could largely beattributed to too little knowledge about careers.Five careers, viz. secretarial, teaching, nursing, social work andclerking, represent the largest percentage (35,4%) of the study group'scareer choices. The study group mainly made their choices on their ownvolition, and most parents are satisfied with their daughters' choices ofcareer.Training is essential for most careers, mainly at universities andtechnikons. Too little knowledge of careers and financial considerationsgave rise to the fact that some respondents (71 out of 277) planned tostudy later.In the consideration of the results of the investigation, the followingconclusions could be reached:The process of socialization still holds up the caring role, service andfemininity to girls as the ideal. In that way girls' aptitudes in the fieldsof the Humanities and in medicine are reinforced. In spite of that, thegreatest percentage of girls followed a commercial course. The conclusionthat is reached is that they feel safe in this field of study, becausethe traditional expectation is that they will go and work as a typist ora secretary.Girls therefore choose a field of study in Standard seven which is notin line with their aptitudes. It emerges that girls do not receive adequatecounselling in Standard seven, and that being a secretary or a teacheris still held up to them by die Guidance teacher. The career choices ofthe study group therefore correlate with their fields of study, but notwith their aptitudes. The conclusion that can be reached is that a largepercentage of the study group would seem to have made an unrealisticchoice of career, probably because they did this from a limited professionalawareness. This can probably be ascribed to the traditional valuesand roles held for girls.Other conclusions which emerge from this study: * The respondents are not properly informed about the changes occurring in the RSA. * The study group dispose of too little information about professional training, although they seem to be aware of its importance.* Girls want to move away from the traditional sex role of wife and mother, and want to reconcile career and marriage. * Most respondents do not dispose of adequate self- knowledge to come to a realistic choice of career without some supportive action. * The female work force in South Africa is very valuable and an importantsource of executive and highly qualified manpower whichshould not be neglected. The place which women fill in the careerworld and its implications should enjoy special attention in schoolguidance. It is especially necessary that girls be made aware of theircareer potential but also of career options and problems.A school guidance teacher should take note of the fact that girls' careerorientation is different from that of boys, and should adjust thecounselling programme accordingly. One cannot, therefore, have the sameprogramme for boys and girls.If it should be accepted that the role of woman in the business world isimportant, it is essential that career and course guidance in school beimproved on an ongoing basis. Such improvement can only take place ifthe process of career counselling makes provision for the dynamic as wellas the scientific dimensions of career choice and career development ofgirls in particular. The career orientation of girls is a lifelong process.It goes much further than mere career counselling. It is comprehensive,encompassing the girl in her totality. It also points to co-ordinatedplanning by all persons and institutions involved. It is only in this waythat the optimal utilization of available manpower in its full implicationscan be attained.

[发布机构] North-West University