This study investigated Grade 11 students' attitudes towards technical and vocational education placement and the implications for their career choices. The main study sample comprised 178 Grade 11 students in five vocational options from rural and urban upgraded high schools in Jamaica. These schools are vocationally oriented with the objective of preparing students for the world of work and ensuring a greater awareness of job and career fields.

The purpose of this life history inquiry was to contribute to the understanding of why teachers stay in the teaching profession. Life history inquiry, a qualitative approach, was utilized to explore the teachers' stories within their historical context as a source of knowledge. As such, each teacher'slife was presented in the context of narratives and analyzed within a constructivist framework of life history in order to make sense of their experiences of staying in the profession. Through purposive sampling, three teachers were selected.