An exploration of young careers in an uncertain labour market

Abstract

This interpretative study sought to explore the story of two young people in relation to their engagement with career. Within what Bauman (2000) describes as ‘liquid modernity’, how do they respond to uncertainties and agentic expectations in their own careers? Whilst the study did not set out to validate any specified theoretical principle, it became evident that both established career theory and post-modern thinking, had shaped their stories. For one young person, this was especially in relation to the role of adversity in building resilience. Equally, the conclusion appears to validate that effective programmes of career learning and development (CLD) can help to prepare young people for a rapidly changing labour market.