Exploring Career Development After the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake: A Qualitative Study of High School Students

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explores the career development experiences of high school students affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. Semi‐structured interviews were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis, yielding four themes: perceived impact on career choice, role models and inspiration, career‐related anxiety, and changes in study behaviors and motivation. The emergent themes were subsequently interpreted through Career Construction Theory to provide a theoretically informed understanding of participants’ experiences. Findings indicate that the earthquake temporarily disrupted career concern and control, while also fostering curiosity and confidence through meaning‐making, prosocial goals, and renewed academic engagement. Role models and lived disaster experiences contributed to the reconstruction of career narratives. Overall, the findings highlight the dynamic and context‐dependent nature of adolescent career development following disasters and underscore the importance of trauma‐informed approaches in career counseling while preserving the inductive foundations of qualitative inquiry.