In the past, students' participation in science competitions has been positively associated with their aspirations to pursue a career in science. Previous studies, however, were predominantly focused around successful competitors, overlooking the largest group of participants: those who are faced with early elimination. We therefore aimed to…

In this article, we analyse the processes that contribute to changes in career aspirations among German PhD graduates. Drawing on the concept of cooling out (Goffman 1952; Clark 1960) - which describes semi-intentional practices that can cause a gradual decline in educational or career aspirations -- the paper expands on this by distinguishing…

This study's focus is to determine refugee teachers' views regarding their ability to work as teachers in Germany, their initiatives, and the challenges they face. In this context, the study was conducted based on qualitative research methodology. In order to collect data a total of 265 teachers residing in the 16 states of Germany were reached.…

Project management (PM) career choice is important as millions of new projects will need skilled and motivated project managers. Therefore, the younger generation must be motivated to acquire the necessary skills to deal with project complexities and dynamics. In previous research, the factors that impact students' perceptions of their learning…

In 2022, one in four vocational education and training (VET) contracts resulted in premature termination--a potential sign of inefficiency in the training of urgently needed skilled professionals. This study focuses on the level of perceived informedness of trainees and its potential influence on dropout. This includes trainees' perceived level of…

Low interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) among high school students in general and women in particular is a highly prevalent phenomenon in many industrialized countries. This study analyses whether study counselling--guiding students to select a major in higher education through self-exploration and fostering their…

This study investigates occupational changes in the German vocational education and training system among "stopouts," i.e., individuals who terminate their training prematurely and switch to another occupation. We examine whether occupational changes are related to the fulfillment of career aspirations and changes in key occupational…

Previous research in different national contexts has shown that individual preferences for certain job attributes, objective labour market conditions, subjective career prospects, and external encouragement shape doctoral graduates' career decisions. For Germany, where the number of awarded doctoral degrees is highest within the European Union and…

This paper aims to reflect Fischer's ideas on vocational orientation and vocational choice as fundamental prerequisites for vocational education in the current German system of vocational guidance in general and vocational education schools. A special focus is placed on Fischer's view on the relevance of informed choice when choosing an…

Gender segregation in fields of study represents an important explanation for gender inequalities in the labor market, such as the gender wage gap. Research shows that horizontal gender segregation in higher education persists for a variety of reasons, including women's greater communal goals and men's greater motivation to earn high incomes. Yet…

This study investigated the perception of role model attributes of women and men sport professors, how these attributes influence the choice of academic role models, and how such role models affect career objectives. The study draws on social cognitive (career) theory. Data were collected with a quantitative online survey (N = 792) targeted at…

Previous research suggests that girls have higher occupational aspirations than boys before entering the labor market. We investigate whether this gender gap in occupational aspirations generalizes to secondary school students in Germany and illuminate the possible mechanisms behind these purported gender differences. For this purpose, we used a…

The academic professoriate is a determinant of successful higher education systems. Yet, recently, worsening conditions of employment, deteriorating salaries, and threats to job security have made the academic profession less attractive, especially to young scholars, in several countries. This paper investigates the salaries as well as the…

This paper makes two contributions to the literature on social stratification in vocational attainment. First, we evaluate whether labour market literacy, as measured by knowledge about earnings in different occupations, is socially stratified. Second, we analyse whether differences in expected earnings between high-income and low-income…

Given the significant transformations underway in academia, it is pertinent to ask whether the traditional notion of entering the profession in response to a calling is still relevant. This article draws together hitherto unconnected strands of German and Anglo-Saxon literature on callings, then analyzes biographical narratives of 40 social…