Emerging Adult's Unintended and Unpredicted Work-Life Pathways in Rural Coastal Community
Keywords:
work-life, rural community, young adults, youthAbstract
The transition from education to the world of work has changed significantly in recent years. Social and economic changes have impacted work-life transitions, particularly for emerging adults in rural and small communities. Much career development research has identified the needs of urban people; however, the needs of young people in non-urban areas have largely been omitted. Following up findings from a youth sample in a previous bi-coastal research project, this qualitative study explored the work-life pathways of young adults from a small coastal community in British Columbia, Canada. Using semi-structured interviews, participants described the impact of economic and employment changes experienced in their community on their work and life options and choices after high school. They described struggles with frequent moving, economic hardships, changes in employment, and adjustments to career aspirations. On the positive side, they also identified supportive families, community involvement, passion for their surrounding environment, and positive future outlooks. Supports to facilitate young adults’ successful work-life transitions are discussed
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