Higher education students’ sociocultural profiles and career resources: The role of grit

Abstract

This study was grounded on a theoretical framework that integrates Bourdieu’sconcept of sociocultural capital with Blustein’s Relational Theory of Working,which recognizes that social structures and interpersonal connections shapecareer trajectories. The main objective of this research was to investigate therelationship between students’ sociocultural backgrounds and their career resources, as well as the role of grit in this relationship. To accomplish this, across-sectional study was conducted on 2353 Portuguese Higher Education students. Multiple Correspondence Analysis was applied to define students’ sociocultural profiles and structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypothesis. The results evidenced that students’ sociocultural profiles did not present a direct effect on the environment factor of career resources, however an indirect effect — via grit — was found. For the other three career resources (knowledge and skills, motivation, and career management behaviors) students’ sociocultural profiles presented both direct and indirect effects (via grit). This interaction underscores that, while students’ backgrounds shape career resources, grit can help bridge disparities. This study expands the existing literature by incorporating the impact of sociocultural factors and grit, advocating for higher education institutions to recognize diverse backgrounds and promote grit-enhancing initiatives. Such an approach could help mitigate socioeconomic disparities in higher education, offering insights into educational policies that foster equitable career development.