| Matthew Diemer
Michigan State University
Pathways to occupational attainment among lower-SES adolescents of color: The role of sociopolitical development
FINAL REPORT
The formation of future occupational expectations is a critical career development task for adolescents that has a significant impact upon adult occupational attainment. However, poor Youth of Color face multiple sociopolitical barriers that constrain their occupational expectations and occupational attainment. Considering the sociopolitical nature of these barriers, the consciousness of and motivation to transform sociopolitical inequity, sociopolitical development, may facilitate their occupational expectations and occupational attainment. Extant research has suggested that sociopolitical development facilitates the career development of poor Youth of Color. However, it is unclear what long-term effect sociopolitical development has upon occupational attainment. This study examined the longitudinal role of sociopolitical development in the adult occupational attainment of poor Youth of Color, while controlling for academic proficiency and using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS). The obtained structural model suggested that sociopolitical development influenced occupational expectations in 12th grade and had a longitudinal impact upon the adult occupational attainment of a nationally representative sample of poor Youth of Color. Sociopolitical development may be an internal resource that facilitates the occupational attainment of poor Youth of Color and may be applied to augment career intervention programs. In contrast to ÒstickÓ policies of accountability, ÒcarrotÓ policies directed at fostering poor Youth of Color's consciousness of and motivation to transform sociopolitical inequity may facilitate career development and occupational attainment.
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