Introduction

As parents and educators we must understand that determining the vocation is a common process for many children and young people. And when you want to understand their development, it's worth asking:

When does the process begin? How is this process going until a final choice is made?
What is the value of the affirmations of the little ones that they want to be, for example, the soccer players? What can adults do to help young people in this task of choice?

Certainly, this brings us to a series of questions, which become interesting when we try to answer these questions.

It is good to know that a group of researchers, led by Ginsbert, developed a theory of vocational development that is now widely accepted. Under this theory, the development of the vocation begins at an early age (6-7 years) and lasts until the young person begins to work.

For the effect, of the relevance of the subject, we will emphasize in the present study, three fundamental stages in the vocational development of the individual: fantasy stage, tentative stage and realistic stage.

The fantasy stage (from 6 to 11 years).

What is important to know at this stage?

Fundamentally, the child dreams of being a member of an attractive, prestigious and original profession, often inspired by the characters of literature or cinematography, or in his chimerical observations of the adult world. It's natural. In the world of children's imagination it occupies a preponderant place. Therefore, at this stage we do not find barriers related to job opportunities, individual capacity or the disadvantages of trades and professions. Children often think of being astronauts, firemen, policemen, politicians, movie stars, elite athletes or pilots. They tend to be occupations with prominence in public life or that are exalted in the media.

Other times, although the child aspires to more realistic professions such as the teacher, the doctor, the postman or the employee, his fantastic conception of them still has very little relation to reality.

Source

The tentative stage (from 11 to 17 years old).

What interesting aspects should be known during this stage?

Yes, this stage is interesting, coincides with early adolescence and constitutes a more serious attempt to develop a future project. First, adolescents show preference for certain occupations. They observe the corresponding professionals, almost always informally and even superficially, and decide that they "like" them; Then, personal preference seems to be his only criterion.

As they get older, they will realize their own aptitudes and limitations. Then they will begin to observe the existence of barriers and opportunities. They listen, study and analyze the various messages they receive. Finally, they will come to identify themselves with a reasonable occupation or type of occupation.

Source

The realistic stage (from 17 years old).

When can we say that the individual has reached the realistic stage of vocational development?

Around the age of 18, even when there are many variations, the adolescent makes a decision based on his personal situation, his preferences and his possibilities. It can be said that he has reached the realistic stage of vocational development. We can not say that it is the end of the process. From now on, he will be in constant activity, exploring different possibilities within the basic option. Finally, the young person will choose something concrete.

It is important to keep in mind that, in reality, the process does not end at this time. It can easily be extended to years of advanced study and even to the first stage of your working life. In addition, in our days radical changes are observed in the professional activity of adults at much higher ages than more advanced adolescents.