A study on career maturity and career aspirations using the EPL framework.

Abstract

The purpose of our study is to examine the career aspirations among pre-university students. Specifically, we seek to examine the significance of career maturity on the career aspirations. Moreover, we would like to find out the impact of the exposure to entrepreneurship programs on the relationship between career maturity and entrepreneurial motivations. Using Chan et al.’s (2012) Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, and Leadership (EPL) career aspirations framework, we provided insights on the career sentiments of pre-university students in relation to their level of career maturity, i.e. career maturity does affect motivations and intentions of professional and leadership career tracks and that those who are high in all three career track motivations or intentions (i.e. high in E, P, and L) tend to be more career mature than those who are low in all career aspirations. Our results also indicated that exposure to entrepreneurship programs strengthen the relationship between career maturity and entrepreneurial motivations and intentions.