The role of the family in the professional orientation of the children

A common aspiration to parents in different latitudes refers to the achievement by children - once achieved adulthood - of success in the socio -labor world. For the achievement of this objective, it is necessary that they have prepared in advance conveniently to insert themselves in the work world and it is here that the preparation to choose a work course compatible with individual aspirations and possibilities comes to choose its role. In this Psychology Line article, we talk about Family role in the professional orientation of children.

1. Parent orientation in the choice of children's studies
2. Individual factors
3. Social factors
4. Family and professional selection
5. Recommendations to parents who must face their children's orientation for professional selection

Parent orientation in the choice of children's studies

Since the choice of a profession or trade is a moment of great importance in achieving personality development, to reach it, the individual must first go through a process of construction of his subjectivity that allows him to make mature, responsible decisions and self -determined.

He Family orientation work whose children at some point have been involved in the conflicts derived from the professional choice constitutes the main motivation to perform this analysis.

In psychopedagogical literature it is observed that during a good time the professional orientation was organized mainly depending on the moment in which the profession must be selected. In more recent periods, professional orientation has become considered as a process that takes place alongside individual development whose modifications have been related.

The professional orientation It is a process that takes place in certain stages which have nothing to do with age in years if not with the development achieved at all times by personality and can be expressed in:

First stage

General vocational training occurs: it covers the first ages and must be directed to the development of inclinations and skills in children, knowledge and cognitive interests that serve as a basis to progressively bring them closer to the training of professional interests in certain areas of human work.

Second stage

Start of preparation for professional selection: Professional orientation is expressed in work aimed at the development of cognitive interests, specific knowledge and skills related to those subjects or spheres of human activity in which the subject shows marked inclinations and/or possibilities In the intellectual order for its execution.

Third stage

Beginning of the training and development of professional interests and skills: this stage coincides with the student's entry to the Profession The successful performance of a certain profession.

Professional orientation acquires distinctive characteristics that are expressed in the "professional approach" of the educational teaching process.

Fourth stage

Professional interests, knowledge and skills are consolidated at this stage. It begins in the upper years of professional training and its beginning will be earlier in students who reach a higher level of independence in the application of professional knowledge and skills in solving the problems of professional practice (González Maura , 2002).

In the work with young professionals it is appreciated that this stage has usually described it culminates in the first years of graduate, in reality it adopts a new quality.

When the level of integration of professional motivation is high, in the young man there is a clear inclination of their professional interests towards the search for new discoveries or contributions in the application or exercise of the profession or trade selected potentializing the self -realization in the field of Professional life, which not only consolidates existing professional interests but even new interests in the exploration of new fields of professional action (Llerena, 2007) may appear.

A moment that involves special significance at the end of adolescence is the selection of the future profession. In the same, the concerns of the future way to go with the emotional changes of the stage coincide, hence this is often a difficult time and that the same as parents and teachers are concerned, hence undertaking coordinated actions between School and family can lead to the transit for this stage less difficulty.

After controversial and confronted opinions that prevailed in the field of educational psychology during a considerable period of time, the teaching-development relationship and a good part of the educational psychologists agree that the first, march in front and conducts psychic development, considering its typical characteristics at each age. Hence the school must become the primary factor in the orientation for professional selection and specialized advice to parents to join this process conveniently.

Although I have already referred that this is a process that can entail some difficulties, it does not take the same way for every adolescents. It is a reality that there are young people who find it less difficult to make the choice of the profession than others.

In each young man they influence individual and social factors whose interaction affects the projection of your future working life. Among the individual factors, the motivations of adolescents, their skills and attitudes can be highlighted in particular. The social factors on the other hand refer to the influence on the decisions that they must make of their belonging groups, within which the family plays a fundamental role and the stereotyped cultural patterns about some professions and/or existing trades.

Individual factors

Motivational development

In research developed in Cuba, the presence of two types of reasons linked to the study of the profession, the intrinsic linked to the fulfillment of the same and the extrinsic ones that nothing or little have to do with the content of the same (González and Mitjáns , 1989; Domínguez, 1989; González Maura, 2002;).

The development of skills

This has to do with the skills acquired until choosing the profession and that can in certain cases become factors that favor-when they are possessed- the selection of a specific profession, or in the contracio case, hinder it.

The predominant attitudes

It has to do with the willingness to follow one or another selection and includes three basic components: the cognitive, which refers to the previous knowledge that is possessed about the profession or trade. The affective component, which has to do with the feelings and experiences that are involved in the selection and the behavioral manifested by the set of executing provisions that are manifested at the time of the selection, whether or not it is done.

Social factors

The Influence of the social macrom represented in the different groups in which it is inserted and by the issues released by official channels (media) or unofficial.

Existing beliefs about the profession or trade selected

There are professions that throughout the history of humanity have surrounded themselves with a halo of acceptance or rejection due to their characteristics, which can undoubtedly influence its selection for the future.

The family

A special place corresponds to the family, in its bosom and under special conditions of positive or negative affective commitment, human beings grow. There are behaviors that reproduce in the family with respect to the selection of profession by children, which can be stimulating self -determinated decision making or limit these.

Family and professional selection

Because of its influence on the professional orientation of children, the family deserves a separate reflection.

Diverse are the ways in which the family can influence the professional choice of children.

There are families in which any of the parents-or both-by diverse personal circumstances could not see their dreams fulfilled in relation to the study of a particular profession. It is frequent in these cases that try to lean to the child towards the study of it regardless of whether it leans personally towards it or if it has or not developed skills that can lead to success in the same.

In other cases that keep some relationship with the previous one, from generation to generation and successively the members of a family have studied the same profession. The problem occurs when any of the youngest-who is supposed. There are cases in which a profession is chosen on the basis of an almost marked idea in the genes of its members forced.

On the other hand there are also some families in which children are considered too immature to select profession and assume the task of selecting themselves the profession they consider best for sons or daughters.

There are also families that stimulate from the first ages in an organized and coherent way the inclinations of their children they consider can be the basis of a future professional development, urging children to manifest openly in relation to their interests and to improve their skills more and more. These are just some behaviors that parents can assume before the moment in which their children must choose their future profession.

Recommendations to parents who must face their children's orientation for professional selection

Attending to the fact that new offers that demand the greatest competence of who develops in the workplace appear every time. A first order task must be aimed at promoting them a knowledge as wide as possible of the existing educational offers and that they are in correspondence with their individual possibilities and aspirations. From the above it follows that it cannot be expected to the young (the) young man to be at the gates of selecting profession to investigate the different offers existing in their environment and share them together.

It is good that parents know that the school with the professional orientation that performs either in an integrated way to the curriculum or in an extradocente way, greatly contributes to the professional selection of young people, however, it is the latter who corresponds to the maximum Responsibility in said election. In that process parents can Provide strong individual support, because as any process linked to growth ex officio and profession can generate important emotional crises.

An aspect in which parents can provide important help refers to identification by the children of their individual qualities In relation to a certain profession, since sometimes they dream of future professions that are known in advance their personal skills, knowledge or characteristics will not allow you to achieve successfully. Giving emotional support and helping you identify your best options can be an important source for important decision making.

Another transcendent element is the continuity that can occur in the family of the orientation work initiated in the school, so it is convenient for parents to be maintained systematically oriented from the steps that occur in the school related to the vocational-professional orientation of the children. Sometimes the school works in one direction and the family due to ignorance of the line of work of the school center hinders or deviates from its normal course.

The school and especially the figure of the teacher can be important when knowing what are the characteristics of young people's learning and what professional directions attending them can direct their future.

On the other hand, parents can go to support networks, Formed by the parents of their children's friends who surely have similar concerns and the joint dialogue.

In a few occasions, parents care because young people persist in making a professional selection against all the opinions expressed by adults. In this case you must talk and know the criteria followed to opt for that decision. If they are firm, solid and reasonably mature criteria, it can be assumed that it is a serious decision; Hence, he may probably have a future success in his performance if he forms in that profession.

When the decision about the professional life made by the children is not appropriate, then the parents' response It should not be directed to censorship or scolding that can lead to obtain responses of rebellion or nonconformity. It is more appropriate to collect professional help for both the young man, and to prepare as parents to help them find good solutions to the professional choice.

It is necessary that the family understand that it is in a privileged position in the professional orientation of the students since it has the affective force necessary to guide them to the achievement of self -knowledge, the assessment of their own forces and possibilities and promote the maturity necessary to face the Selection of the profession in an analytical and responsible way.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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