Importance of Navigating the Education and Career Journey

As individuals progress through their education and career pathways, navigation plays a key role in facilitating their opportunities and successful transitions. Positive effects accumulate when attention to navigation knowledge and skills begins early, is intentional, and becomes a personally relevant commitment. For early elementary school students, exploration of nontraditional careers can  decrease the possibility of foreclosing too soon on occupation options that have historically been  sex-typed along traditional gender lines (Hartung, Porfeli, & Vondracek, 2005; Watson & McMahon,  2005). Navigation factors, such as exploration of potential careers, academic and career-related self-efficacy beliefs, and initial goal orientations, form early, become more tailored to individuals’ personal characteristics, and are thought to play key gatekeeper roles at critical transitions and developmental milestones (Lent & Brown, 2013). For example, exploratory actions are a precondition to identifying one’s career direction, and limited exploration can delay or impede making informed choices about high school, college, or work.

Research also suggests that making plans during the middle school years starts the process of developing realistic career plans later and encourages postsecondary planning (Noeth & Wimberley, 2002). High school students who have career goals are more likely to engage in meaningful planning related to those goals (Rogers, Creed, & Ian Glendon, 2008). Further, high school students  who are intentional about planning for college (e.g., finding help with the college application or  writing the college essay) are more likely to follow through with the application process required for  college admission (Cabrera & La Nasa, 2001). Research by Saks and Ashforth (1999) also shows  that planning related to preparatory job-search behaviors (e.g., finding job information, identifying job  leads) among graduating college students is positively correlated with obtaining employment four  months after graduation. The planning aspects of navigation help facilitate a successful transition whether it is getting into college or finding a job.

The emergence of a global economy, changing technology, and the need for more advanced skills require students to be better informed about their postsecondary education or training decisions (e.g., college majors). According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, nearly two-thirds (63%) of US jobs are projected (through 2018) to require postsecondary education (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2010). Further, postsecondary education is directly related to increased income. In 2012, median annual wages for individuals with a high school diploma were $35,170, while individuals with an associate’s degree earned $57,590 annually, and these earnings increased with additional postsecondary education (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012a). Thus, individuals who make the decision to pursue education beyond high school increase their available occupational opportunities and their earning potential.

Informed decisions about college majors are also important. College students who change their majors multiple times spend more time in college earning their degrees (Filce, 2010). Each additional year required to complete a four-year degree may cost an average of $46,000 when tuition and lost wages are considered (Lippman et al., 2008). College students who select majors that fit their interests are less likely to change college majors (Allen & Robbins, 2008), which is also the case for students who are more decided about the direction of their career paths (Restubog, Florentino, & Garcia, 2010).

In summary, there is strong evidence supporting the importance of navigation knowledge and skills for helping individuals progress along their education and career pathways.