A case study of degree completion graduates' transition from technician to manager.

Abstract

This narrative case study sought to describe the experience of transition from technician to manager of graduates of a degree completion program at the University of Wisconsin Stout. It also sought to describe the career self-management practiced by these graduates that determined their current employment status. The research questions for this study asked, What is the experience of a graduate from the B.S. in Management from UW-Stout who made the transition from technician to manager? And How did the graduate direct career self-management? In seeking the answer to those questions 20 graduates of the degree completion program who had experienced the transition from technician to manager were interviewed. Site visits were made to the workplaces of two managers. University documents relating to the degree and its graduates were reviewed. The interview data was analyzed and the story of the managers' career self-direction and transition to manager was revealed. The graduates had embarked on a protean career, boundaryless as well. They moved from technical education to technical jobs. Once they decided to return to UW-Stout to earn a B.S. in Management (or Industrial Management) they explained why they entered a degree program and their expectations. They tell the story of being a working adult in college and how their decisions affected their lives. The managers studied here relate their experiences on the job hunt and on the job.