Ageing and career: Using narrative in the construction of career meaning for older workers
Name: PAULA MARA COSTA DE ARAUJO
Publication date: 16/09/2021
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| MÔNICA DE FÁTIMA BIANCO | Advisor * |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| ANTONIA DE LOURDES COLBARI | External Examiner * |
| MÔNICA DE FÁTIMA BIANCO | Advisor * |
| PRISCILLA DE OLIVEIRA MARTINS DA SILVA | Internal Examiner * |
Summary: The changes on the work and careers nature in contemporary times are proposing a series of issues that affect workers` experiences and also on the way careers are understood. Although there are several researches on career development in this new context, the researches\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" focus are usually given to students, graduates and young workers. There are few researches about
older workers, not considering that the increasing of population ageing in developed and developing countries which leads to a numerical increase of older individuals in the workforce, and in Brazil this numerical increase has been greater in the public sector. This thesis presents the result of a research that integrates aging of the workforce and career using the contemporary Life Design paradigm. This paradigm focuses on the individual constructed
narrative and values people singularities and diversity in order to help individuals to design and build a meaningful life. The aim of this research is to analyze the narrative career construction of older workers in a public educational institution using Life Design paradigm. A qualitative approach was adopted using the constructionist epistemological matrix and the production of data was carried out through narrative interviews, allowing participants to tell their experiences and perceptions. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis technique. Seventeen interviews with workers over 40 years old from a public education institution in the state of Espírito Santo were analyzed. In addition, a human resource manager was interviewed in order to find out about programs and practices developed by the institution with focus on older workers. On the older workers` narratives, reflective processes sought to
align their life projects with their life themes. The life themes and the processes of reflection and reflexivity were important to understand the constructed meanings, and the life themes permeated the reflective processes, providing the search for well-being and satisfaction in the interviewees\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" lives. The context and the dialogues with other people were important to
nourish reflections, and critical events acted as a trigger for reflective processes. Reflections, during the reflective process, arises awareness, clarifying significant elements and turning one responsible for conducting its own careers. Thus, evidencing reflexivity, the interviewees acted promoting changes in themselves with life projects that sought a meaningful career. For
this, adjustments were observed in their life theme, giving it new standards and, in some situations, the pursuit of new careers or new environments to exercise their careers. In all the interviewees, at the age considered older worker, the search for an activity of personal meaning was observed. As a contribution, this research demonstrated the potential of the Life Design paradigm beyond career counseling and confirmed the importance of using narratives to understanding an individual`s career trajectory.
