Constructing a Qualitative Model of Psychological Readiness for the Transition From School to an AI-Transformed Labor Market Among Youth
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jayps.6363Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, psychological readiness, school-to-work transition, youth, career adaptability, career self-efficacy, labor marketAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to construct a qualitative model explaining the psychological readiness of youth for the transition from school to an AI-transformed labor market.
Methods and Materials: A qualitative grounded theory design was employed among 24 young people aged 18–25 years in Turkey who were in the final stages of formal education, recent graduates seeking employment, or early-career employees. Participants were selected using purposeful maximum-variation sampling followed by theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected through individual semi-structured in-depth interviews focusing on perceptions of AI-related labor-market change, career uncertainty, employability, emotional responses, adaptability, continuous learning, professional identity, and contextual support. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed concurrently with data collection through open, axial, and selective coding using.
Findings: Analysis generated 112 initial open codes, which were consolidated into 18 subcategories and seven major categories. Selective coding identified adaptive psychological readiness for AI-mediated career transition as the core phenomenon. The resulting model showed that readiness emerged through the interaction of perceived AI-related labor-market disruption, cognitive appraisal of opportunity and threat, emotional regulation and tolerance of uncertainty, career agency and adaptive self-efficacy, continuous learning and AI-oriented adaptability, contextual readiness resources, and flexible professional identity. Greater understanding of AI-related occupational change, stronger career self-efficacy, higher tolerance of uncertainty, continuous learning orientation, educational and social support, and active engagement with AI were associated with more adaptive career responses. Weak readiness was characterized by AI-related career anxiety, avoidance of career decisions, perceived helplessness, rigid occupational identity, and fear of skill obsolescence.
Conclusion: Psychological readiness for entering an AI-transformed labor market is a dynamic, multidimensional capacity that depends on the integration of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, identity-related, and contextual resources rather than technological competence alone.
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References
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