Children's career development: A research review from a learning perspective

Recent advances in career theory have resulted in widespread acceptance of the lifespan perspective on development. However, a review of research and practice conducted during 2001 revealed that little attention has been paid to the career development of children (Whiston & Brecheisen, 2002). In response to calls for a greater concentration on this important stage in the lifespan, the present article uses learning as a unifying theme to structure a research review of career development in children. This theme highlights the need to understand more holistically the influences on and the process of career development learning in children. The learning framework accommodates the dynamic and interactional nature of career development and suggests the need for dual focus research that examines the what and the how of children's career development learning.