Dissertation
"Unlabeling" nontraditional careers: a phenomenological study
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
Jun 2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001177
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 5 individuals in nontraditional career roles in order to understand what may be done to diminish the obstacles and biases faced by those who pursue nontraditional careers. Of particular interest in this study was highlighting the adjustments these individuals have made or considered as they adapted to their roles. The researcher drew upon the essence of the lived experiences of men and women currently in nontraditional careers to determine how gender bias has created obstacles for those people pursuing a career in a nontraditional field. This phenomenological study's primary research question was, how do people in nontraditional careers characterize their experiences? To further guide the research, the researcher posed the following questions: 1. What are the lived experiences of people who have careers in nontraditional fields? 2. What experiences have people in nontraditional careers had with bias based on their gender? 3. How have the educational experiences of people in nontraditional careers supported or impeded their career choices? To explore these experiences, the researcher employed a qualitative phenomenological approach to inquiry. The researcher collected the data through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Through in-depth qualitative analysis, the phenomenon of nontraditional careers and why these gendered distinctions are still occurring today emerged in four themes: educational experiences, positive experiences, negative experiences, and eliminating bias. The four results with interpretations were shown: (1) nontraditional careers are not promoted to young students in K-12 settings, (2) males and females in nontraditional careers are dealing with gender issues from holding a career in a nontraditional field, (3) the right environment in nontraditional careers can help with the emotional toll of the career and keep the nontraditionals in pursuit of that career, and (4) the suggestions on ways to eliminate bias in nontraditional careers relate directly to the unlabeling of nontraditional careers. The study concludes by offering a mixture of the shared perceptions of the participants with recommendations on what may be done to diminish the obstacles and biases faced by those who pursue nontraditional careers.
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Details
- Title
- "Unlabeling" nontraditional careers
- Creators
- Ashley Nicole Jones
- Contributors
- Joy C. Phillips (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- viii, 105 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991018390669304721