Organisational career growth: implications for future perceived employability in students who work

• Work organisations contribute to the career growth of working students. • Growth relates to less study conflict, more facilitation, and higher employability. • Supervisor support and holding a career-relevant job facilitate career growth. Little is known about the role that work organisations play in the career development of working students. We tested a serial effects model ( N = 235; mean age 23 years; 70% female) with antecedents to organisational career growth (self-management, supervisor support, work demands, job-fit, job-relevance), and immediate (work-study conflict/facilitation) and future-focused outcomes (perceived employability). Results indicated supervisor support and job relevance were related to more organisational career growth (59% of variance), which was related directly, and indirectly via work-study conflict (21%) and facilitation (24%), to perceived employability (24%). Work-study conflict and facilitation were highlighted as potential mechanisms for explaining the organisational career growth/employability relationship. The study extends research on organisational career growth to working students and has implications for theory and practice.