Constructing Vocational Identities

Abstract

Social constructionism is identified as a significant movement within contemporary psychology promising a new way of looking at young people constructing their first substantive vocational identities. An existential notion of vocational exploration as a form of personal project is introduced with this being articulated in terms of the dramatic nature of much that happens to young people while clarifying identities. Through an interpretive analysis of four literary and historical texts using Burke's pentad model for explicating dramatic experiences evidence is given of identities in the process of construction. The main gain for vocationalists is clarified as an approach offering ideas on careers‐in‐progress to compliment established approaches on careers‐in‐prospect and careers‐In‐retrospect.