Protean career orientation as a compass for career development in the digital age

PurposeDrawing on the digital educational context (DEC) (Bazine and Fréour, 2024) and the protean career framework (Hall et al., 2018), this study aimed to analyze how protean career orientation (PCO) influences career behaviors through the DEC and Learning behaviors with technologies (LBT).Design/methodology/approachWe used time-lagged structural equation modeling among young students making the transition from school to work (N = 204).FindingsResults showed that PCO improved career behaviors through digital education and LBT.Originality/valueGiven the scant attention paid to the impact of context in the school-to-work transition (STWT), this study highlights the critical role of educational context and reveals that individual orientation can shape perceptions of the DEC. The study therefore builds on the literature on decent education, protean careers and technological context and provides insights for the STWT of university students in the digital age.