Young Adults - Education and Work

Young adults today have more options when choosing a career path than previous generations. Educational and vocational choices after high school may present them with more opportunities for cognitive growth, enhanced work skills, and exposure to new environments and ways of life.

The College Transition 

College is an increasingly important path to adulthood and there are now more options for young adults to partake in this experience. 

• Enrollment of two and four year institutions has increased to nearly 70%. 
• Increased proportion of young adults take advantage of part time college and  two-year vocationally oriented programs.
• More women are enrolled in graduate programs.
• Socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity affect a young adult's access to higher education. 

Cognitive Growth in College

• Growth of verbal and quantitative skills, critical thinking, moral reasoning, and flexible thinking
• Curriculum offers new insights
• Exposure to other students' views challenge one's own thinking
• Faculty and staff provide new role models for young adults 

Entering the Working World

By their mid-twenties, most young adults have moved out of their parents' household and are either working or pursuing advanced education. However, the transition can be very shocking and stressful on the young adult. "Leaving the family home represents a major life transition for many young adults" (Lou, 2012, p. 663) and this can greatly affect their sense of occupational balance. However, the transition to the workplace can be eased thorough certain measures.

Smoothing the Transition to the Workplace

Studies show there are specific factors that help a young adult achieve a successful transition to the working world. They are, competence of skills; personal characteristics such as initiative, flexibility, purposefulness, and a sense of urgency; positive personal relationships; and links between schooling and employment.

(Papalia, 2009, p. 243-248).


Maintaining Occupational Balance in Education and Work

While young adults are discovering themselves and what their career path will be, many find that they cannot devote as much time to leisure activities. Most of their time is dedicated to their education, work, or child care. This, combined with the difficult transition to financial independence by moving out of the family home can cause much stress and affect a young adult's overall sense of well-being and occupational balance. To maintain balance young adults should seek out resources of social support and stress management, designate time for social relationships and meaningful leisure activities, and relate skills learned in school to the workplace to ease the transition.