Challenges to the Career Development of Urban Racial and Ethnic Minority Youth: Implications for Vocational Intervention

✍ Scribed by Madonna G. Constantine; Chris D. Erickson; Reginald W. Banks; Terri L. Timberlake

• Publisher: American Counseling Association
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 858 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0883-8534
• DOI: 10.1002/j.2161-1912.1998.tb00189.x

✦ Synopsis

Urban racial and ethnic minority youth experience a variety of internal and external challenges to their career development. This article discusses several potential barriers to successful career attainment experienced by racial and ethnic minority youth and identifles a series of recommendations that vocational counselors may wish to consider in addressing the career development needs of this population.

Results of national surveys regarding the educational and occupational attainment of many racial and ethnic minority youth reveal major impediments in their personal, educational, and career development (D'Andrea, 1995). Compared with their non-urban peers, youth of color experience a variety of barriers to their attainment of a successful career (D'Andrea & Daniels, 1992). As the racial composition of the United States (U.S.) workforce continues to change into the twenty-first century, racial and ethnic minority youth in the labor force will almost double the increase of Whites (Leong. 199 1). Nonetheless, few studies or writings have focused on the career development issues of urban racial and ethnic minority youth, and existing career development theories have been criticized for being irrelevant to many of the experiences of these youth (Smith, 1983; Madonna 0. Constantine and Chris D. Wckson are assistant professors rind Reginald W. Banks and Terri L. Timberlake are doctoral students, a l l in the Counseling Psychology proSram at Temple University. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania The last two authors lbted haw contributed equally to this article. Correspondence regarding this &le should be sent to Madonna