Occupation Choice: Family, Social and Market Influences

The advance of knowledge-based societies has modified the labor markets and qualification requirements. In this sense, and considering that individual choices about careers and occupations have pervasive social effects, there is a growing interest from both academics and policy makers in understanding and influencing the process of education choice. Specifically, there is a worldwide renewed concern on achieving higher levels of graduation from scientific and technological disciplines. Available evidence shows that mobilizing individual wills towards these highly priority careers is not an easy nor mechanical task. Thus, it is necessary to expand the standard view about the process of occupation choice by adding non pecuniary factors, influence of social networks and the role of information and guidance policies. With these objectives in mind, and after reviewing the theoretical literature about occupation choice in economics, the present paper analyzes the effects that diverse personal, family, social and economic aspects have in the selection of an university career. Based on the empirical findings, some policy recommendations are put forward.