Putting Purpose to Work: A Qualitative Study of Purpose and Calling in Career and Technical Education and General Education High School Students

This qualitative descriptive study examined the purpose development and career calling of 38 ethnically diverse career and technical education (CTE; n = 13, 38.4% female, Mdnage = 17) and general education (GE; n = 25, 32% female, Mdnage = 17) purposeful high school students. The four P’s of purpose development, people, propensity, passion, and prosocial benefits guided the analysis. In-depth interviews were analyzed using directed content analysis to determine differences, if any, between CTE students and their GE counterparts on purpose development and its relationship with career calling. Key differences between CTE and GE students emerged on (1) identifying future careers as a purpose or calling that aligned with their passions; (2) purpose planning or identifying who can help them and how their purpose benefits others; and (3) living out a calling through purposeful activities or engaging in activities that build on their strengths and skills related to their purpose. These findings suggest the CTE track provides support and opportunities for purposeful students to foster and actively engage their purpose and calling in life while in school. CTE students who are purposeful may be in a unique position to both consider and live their work as a calling in life.