Career as ‘self-construction’ of an EPA care worker

Through the lens of narrative identities in the life story

Abstract

This article aims to understand the career as ‘self-construction’ through the narrative identities that emerged in the life story of an EPA care worker. The study drew on “career construction theory.” The following identities were found through the analysis of the participant's life story. “Myself as expected by parents,” “myself living in new relationships,” “myself working in Japan,” “myself striving with the support of peers,” “myself working at Yasuragi-en,” “myself as a care worker of my own volition,” “myself as a mentor with cross-border experiences,” and “myself capable of living freely in both Indonesia and Japan.” Moreover, the participant constructed her own story with the author, suggesting deviation from the model stories of EPA care workers or candidates.