One day, an acquaintance of mine, the mother of a young man of 20, to whom I offered a JobVision assessment in order to confirm her pre-choices in terms of training at a Polytechnic, replied:
“Thank you that’s too kind, but my son has already chosen his profession, he’s going to be an engineer.”
I was speechless, finding her answer preposterous. There is a world of different affinities between, for example, a forestry engineer or an agricultural engineer and a computer engineer or a precision mechanic.
Let’s take a few examples to illustrate this:
Civil Engineer vs. Agronomist or Forestry Engineer: Civil engineers are often people-oriented, enjoying teamwork and coordinating complex projects involving multiple stakeholders. By contrast, agricultural or forestry engineers tend to have an affinity for nature, the environment and earth sciences. These behavioural differences reflect the different requirements and responsibilities of their respective fields.
Biotechnology Engineer vs. Information Systems Engineer: Biotechnology engineers are often curious and creative individuals, interested in scientific research and innovation in areas such as health and the environment. On the other hand, information systems engineers are often logical and methodical thinkers, enjoying intellectual challenges and programming to solve complex information technology problems.
Mechanical Engineer vs. Biomedical Engineer: Mechanical engineers are often practical and pragmatic people, adept at solving concrete problems and designing robust mechanical systems. Biomedical engineers, on the other hand, are often passionate about the application of technology for humanitarian purposes, seeking to improve people’s lives through innovative medical devices and cutting-edge technologies.
Each field of engineering attracts individuals with specific behavioural affinities, and it is important that the young student explores their interests and motivations in more depth to find the specialisation that suits them best.
And this applies to all professions.
A career guidance tool like JobVision is extremely useful in this process. By revealing the individual’s main motivations through John Holland’s RIASEC model, it provides a better understanding of their career preferences and the types of work environment that best suit them. By then associating these motivations with an endless list of occupations, it opens up an infinite range of professional possibilities, helping to refine and clarify career choices. And to avoid losing motivation after one or two years of study, as one of my customers pointed out to me, with regard to his son.
Ultimately, the aim of a career guidance tool is to guide the individual towards a career field that corresponds to their interests, values and skills, while taking into account the diversity of professions and specialisations. In this way, everyone can find their own path and develop their career to the full.
#ProfessionalOrientation #JobDiversity #PersonalMotivations #CareerChoice