EXPLORING THE ROLE AND INTERSECTION OF GENDER AND MULTILINGUALISM IN SHAPING CAREER CHOICE OF KAZAKHSTANI UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Kazakhstan’s trilingual policy and evolving gender dynamics provide a unique context for examining how linguistic and social identities shape career trajectories. Despite formal commitments to multilingualism and gender equality, existing literature tends to treat these dimensions in isolation, leaving a gap in understanding their intersection, particularly among youth. This study explores how gender and multilingualism influence first-year undergraduates’ career choices in one Kazakhstani university. The central problem addressed is the lack of research on how students’ multilingual repertoires and gender identities interact to affect their professional aspirations, especially during early career decision-making. The study aimed to investigate: (1) what role gender plays in shaping students’ career choices, (2) how multilingual language repertoires shape these choices, and (3) how gender and multilingualism jointly influence career choices. Based on feminist theory (Butler, 1990), sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978), and intersectionality theory (Crenshaw, 1989), the study used a qualitative, instrumental case study. Ten first-year students (five male, five female) were purposively sampled and interviewed in Kazakh, Russian, or English. Data were analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework. The findings revealed nine key themes across the three research questions. Male students were encouraged to pursue STEM disciplines and leadership roles, while female students were directed to pursue caregiving or linguistically intensive, lower-status careers. Despite its uneven benefits, multilingualism, especially English proficiency, was greatly valued. Female students’ multilingualism was undervalued in high-prestige sectors despite their high language learning involvement. In contrast, male multilingualism was associated with competence and upward mobility. This demonstrates that language and gender reinforce one other through social structures, institutional practices, and internalized expectations. The research contributes to scholarly discussions in gender studies, multilingual education, and career development by offering a contextually grounded, intersectional analysis of how identity influences opportunity.