The career formation process of minority adolescents must be understood within the
context of life history which pays proper attention to the individuals’ early socialization
experiences and availability of social and educational resources. This longitudinal case
study examined two Korea-born adolescents in international marriage to find out how their
career development is formed in the context of their cultures. By observing their lives for
5-6 years and analyzing the influence of culture on their career development based on their
dispositions, traditions and law, this study presents a more comprehensive understanding of
the career formation process of adolescents with an immigrant background.
The study results show: first, the academic dispositions of immigrant women (mothers)
played an important role for their children’s career aspirations. Second, immigrant women
had different view on their children’s education from most Korean parents, but even
between the two immigrant mothers, there were differences in terms of their beliefs on
their children’s career choice and the way they supported their children depending on their
own level of educational success. These different beliefs and parenting practices influenced
their children’s career formation differently. Third, as the support for multicultural
education has been mostly focusing on early childhood and elementary school level, there
has been the shortage of the educational and career development support in secondary
schools. Due to the lack of information on possible career choices and dysfunctional
vocational education programs, immigrant women and their children suffered from
difficulties in making a career choice and future preparation, and this was more evident in
immigrant women with low level of education and limited social capital. Based on these
results, suggestions were made to help adolescents with an immigrant background to make
a healthier career development.