Constructing meaningful work through collegiate experiential learning.

Abstract

Amidst recent shifts in social expectations of post-secondary education, colleges must prepare students for fulfilling careers alongside technical skill development. Experiential learning, with its focus on active engagement, critical reflection, and practical application of learned insights, presents a promising pathway to enhance holistic career development. Grounded in psychological constructivism and career construction theory, this study addressed how collegiate experiential learning influences new professionals’ construction of meaningful work. Sales role play was selected as the focal form of collegiate experiential learning for the study due to its versatility of application, adherence to the essential components of experiential learning, and prevalence in sales education. Using mixed methods narrative inquiry, data were collected from 13 new professionals who had participated in sales role plays during college. The data consisted of written reflections, quantitative rating-scale surveys, a visual storyboard exercise, and semi-structured interviews. The data analysis employed a two-stage process of narrative analysis and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that experiential learning can foster a meaningful awareness of self and work, inspire meaningful work aspirations through connections, facilitate access to meaningful employment, and empower meaningful work enactment. Implications related to these findings are tailored to higher education policymakers, higher education administrators, experiential learning educators, and future researchers. The recommendations encourage thoughtful integration of experiential learning practices to better prepare students for meaningful work.