Impact of Family on Youth Career Aspiration

Abstract

“Youth” is best understood as a period of transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood’s independence and awareness of our interdependence as members of a community. It is necessary to take youth issues into consideration in the development agenda and policies of each country. The issues relating to careeer opportunity are one of the most important facests of young mind. Main objective of this study is to identify the correlation between family and youth career aspiration and to identfy the relationship between gender and youth career aspiration. This study was based on sample survey method and a sample of students was selected from the x th satndard (grade 10). 50 students from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ber Sarai, New Delhi. Primary data were gathered through focus group discussion and face to face interviews. Following an explanatory case study research design qualitative data were gathered. Mainly it was identied how family as an independent variable affect on youth career aspiration. Family background and culture plays an important role in determining students access to education and subsequent employment. When considered the education level, nearly 74% of the respondents’ Fathers had either college or university level education and only 26% of fathers were having school education. Also it was found that not even a single respondent’s father was illiterate.When come to the occupation of the fathers it has found that majority of them were either entrepreneurs, landlords, senior administartors or in a managerial level. Most of them were from middle class or upper middle class and their monthly income was in the range of IND Rs. 7000-9000. Reason for taking up higher education and subsequent employment was revealed that majority of the children employed for economic reasons mainly for economic independence and majority of girls gave the reason for taking up a job for self actualization. It can be concluded that family backgorund, parent’s educational level and income of parents influence the taking up of occupation on children. Impact of parent’s educational level was highly significant in girls’ career aspiration. Moreover low class students had higher occupational aspiration than middle and higher class students. Middle class students have higher occupational aspiration than high class student too. This proved that the economic situation of the family may encourage children for their upward mobility. Also there is a gender difference in selecting occupation, gilrs are more influenced by their parents in their choice of career and they prefer primarily traditional women oriented jobs. Cultural attitudes become an obstacle for career development of girls and economic condition of the family has become an obstacle to study further.