Career Development Challenges for Emerging Adults | Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics

Career Development Challenges for Emerging Adults

young women with her dad (on left) and with friends (on right)

Joshua Leblanc (PhD) is using his research to better understand the role that over-parenting plays in the career development of emerging adults.

Descriptive Text

Parenting plays a big role in the educational and career development of children and adolescents; but for 18 to 25 year olds the general assumption is that parental influence is less direct. A growing body of research indicates that this isn't always the case; some parents remain heavily involved. 

Joshua LeBlanc's research looks at the developmental period known as emerging adulthood. In addition to opportunity, these young adults also experience a number of career-related challenges. When it comes to the challenges they face, Joshua is investigating the role that parenting plays in promoting or hindering important career related variables, such as work identity and resilience (adaptability).

“There are positive aspects to over-parenting, but it can lead to a high-level of self-doubt, which can be extremely dangerous.”

 

 

Scholarships, Honours and Awards

  • Scholarship for Teaching and Learning Fund Receipient (2017-2018)
  • CBE Research Assistantship Award (2017)
  • Mitacs Accelerate Internship - Generation Z: Understanding Canada's Newest Youth Generation (2016-2017)
  • Winner of the Barry Armandi Award for Best Student Paper (2016)
  • Best Student Paper - Organizational Theory Division, ASAC (2015)

Education and Experience

  • Sessional Instructor, Department of Management, University of Guelph
  • PhD Management, University of Guelph (2018)
  • MA Industrial/Organizational Psychology, University of New Haven (2013)
  • BSc Psychology, St. Lawrence University (2011)

Research Interests

  • Consequences of parental attachment bonds and parenting styles on early career development
  • Antecedents and consequences of career adaptability and vocational identity status
  • Student-life balance associated with caregiving responsibilities and the effects of such responsibilities on early career development
  • Scholarship of teaching and learning: student course title selection and student engagement