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An investigation of students' vocational identity formation within the post-primary sector in Ireland
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Date
2025-12
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate vocational identity formation among Senior Cycle students in post-primary education in Ireland. The research addresses knowledge gaps related to the composition of vocational identity statuses among fifth-year students, specifically, the influence of the Whole School Approach (WSA) on students’ vocational identity formation, and the contextual supports and barriers students encounter when engaging in processes of vocational identity formation in Ireland.
Utilising a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study integrates quantitative data from 436 fifth-year Senior Cycle students, collected through a questionnaire that includes the Vocational Identity Assessment Status (VISA) instrument, with qualitative insights from 12 Guidance Counsellors, gathered through semi-structured interviews. The research employs the theoretical framework of Erikson’s psychosocial theory alongside Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to explore the factors influencing vocational identity formation.
The research findings critique the use of rigid, stage-based models for assessing vocational identity, instead advocating for a broader, ecological understanding of vocational identity formation as a dynamic and context-dependent process. Despite the WSA being a key policy directive, its implementation varies widely across the schools in this study, often undermined by insufficient resources, and the demand for personal counselling taking precedence over vocational counselling, which particularly impacts students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The study contributes to the discourse on vocational identity by applying the VISA instrument in an Irish context for the first time. It also incorporates the perspectives of Guidance Counsellors, which have been underrepresented in previous research. It underscores the need for guidance policy reform to ensure equitable access to vocational learning activities starting much earlier in post-primary education. The study recommends greater involvement and clearer roles for all WSA stakeholders, professional development for subject teachers to support vocational guidance, the integration of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) into the curriculum, and the development of Career Information Literacy (CIL) skills to support informed career decision-making.
Future research should include longitudinal and national studies that examine the supports available to enhance the effectiveness of the WSA in Irish schools, as well as the impact of allocating more resources earlier towards students’ vocational identity formation. Overall, the study advocates for a more inclusive, flexible, and student-centred approach to vocational guidance to support students’ vocational identity formation across the curriculum.
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University of Limerick
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Sustainable Development Goals
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Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International