The Five-Stage Career Development Model

The Five-Stage Career Development Model outlines the typical progression individuals experience as they build their careers. It includes: 1) Growth, where skills and interests develop; 2) Exploration, where options are tested and interests refined; 3) Establishment, when one begins to settle into a chosen career path; 4) Maintenance, focusing on sustaining and updating skills; and 5) Disengagement or decline, where one may prepare for retirement or career change. This model helps understand how careers evolve over time and can guide planning and decision-making at different stages of professional life.