Career Advice and the Gendered Uptake of Physics in Australian Secondary Schools

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Ensuring that school graduates are adequately prepared for the transition from school to the

workforce or further education is crucial for success and career satisfaction. This paper examines the

influence of career advice provided in Australian schools on girls’ interest in pursuing physics courses

and physics-related careers. A transformative mixed methods research approach was employed, with

the theoretical framework drawing on social cognitive career theory (SCCT) from a gender perspec-

tive. Data was generated through an online survey and focus group interviews with students, as well

as individual interviews with physics teachers and career advisers. The findings show that despite its

potential to positively influence girls’ choices in physics, schools and students view career advice as an

optional service. Consequently, the quality and quantity of career advice offered in Australian schools

vary significantly from school to school and remain underutilised by most students. This particularly

impacts girls’ perceptions of physics as a viable future career, leaving pervasive gendered perceptions

about the subject, unchallenged. This study is derived from a larger project that investigated influences

on girls’ physics identity.