Information Sources in Occupational Socialisation

Abstract

One of the features of the Colleges of Advanced Education in Australia is their concentration on preparation for specific professions and vocations. A student enrolling in such an institution has, therefore, already made a tentative occupational choice. Newly enrolling students in such an institution provide an appropriate focus for an enquiry into sources of occupational information and influence. Four areas of occupational information were examined—the nature of the occupation, the remuneration expected, the labour market, and perceived avenue of access to jobs. In the latter case students already in the occupation were asked how they obtained it, in other cases, how they thought they were going to obtain it. Questions were also asked on sources of influence. The sample was the universe of newly-enrolling students at the Western Australian Institute of Technology in 1969 and 1970.