Retrospective `Bridging' of Three Occupational Groups

Abstract

The concept of `retrospective bridging' is suggested to describe those occupations in which experience of other kinds of work is relatively frequent. This is complementary to `prospective bridging', indicating the potentialities which one occupation holds for movement to another. Bank workers are shown to have little retrospective mobility by comparison with youth employment and child care officers. Occupation, not sex, is the major factor in determining the number of previous jobs. The past occupations of youth employment and child care officers were mainly those involving contact with clients or customers; banking requires fewer social or personal skills and a varied occupational history is no advantage. The occupationally mobile were more likely to use `most' or `only a few' of their abilities in their work, and the non-mobile to use `some'. Variations in the use of abilities were related to training and scope of present job.