Changes in career maturity and autonomous motivation to enter high school that resulted from participation in a 5-day work experience program, as well as factors related to this effect such as the desire to work, satisfaction with work experiences, and confidence in interpersonal relationship skills were empirically examined. The results indicated that work experiences are effective for promoting career maturity of junior high school students, and for improving in autonomous motivation to enter high school. Moreover, these effects continued two months after the work experience program was over. Also, confidence in interpersonal relationship skills and the desire to work positively effected changes in career maturity and autonomous motivation to enter high school because of the satisfaction with the work experience, during and after the program. The above results indicated the importance of improving the effects of the work experience program in boosting confidence in interpersonal relationship skills, and experiencing work at desired work. Furthermore, confidence in interpersonal relationship skills and the strength of the desire to work differentially affected career maturity, between, during, and after the work experience program. For example, career maturity of students with little confidence in interpersonal relationship skills improved through the work experience program, whereas that of students who could not experience the work that they desired improved through later learning. These findings suggest the significance of work experiences and later learning.

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