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This study is a comparative investigation examining the long-term influence of encounters with “The Third Adult” on high school students’ career awareness. This is based on a case example of a career education program implemented at Yamagata Meisei High School. I conducted questionnaire surveys and interviews with students who participated in the program during both the 2023 and 2024 academic years, and analyzed changes in their career awareness both quantitatively and qualitatively from the perspective of Planned Happenstance Theory. First, a comparison of students’ career awareness in 2023 and 2024 using co-occurrence network analysis revealed that, while common areas of interest such as “self-understanding,” “future prospects” were shared across both years, subtle differences emerged between them. In 2023, an emphasis on “knowing” and “understanding” characterized a more “exploratory and introspective” approach, whereas in 2024, keywords like “challenge” and “persistence” highlighted a more “action-oriented and adventurous” stance. Furthermore, I conducted a follow-up study of two first-year students originally interviewed in 2023, analyzing the long-term transformation of their career awareness one year later when they were in the second year of high school. The results showed that through encounters with “The Third Adult” behavioral traits identified in Planned Happenstance Theory̶namely curiosity, flexibility, persistence, optimism, and adventure̶became more pronounced, leading to a markedly proactive view of their future. This research reaffirms that the presence of “The Third Adult” substantially contributes to expanding learning opportunities and broadening perspectives, thereby serving as an essential factor in supporting high school students’ career formation. Nevertheless, there remains an insufficient evidence base regarding the lasting effects a few years after participation or following high school graduation and entry into the workforce. Going forward, more extensive longitudinal studies and research involving diverse participant groups are expected to comprehensively examine the long-term impact of the program, thereby enhancing the sustainability and generalizability of its effects.
Research papers (publications of university or research institution)
