In the Dutch labor market, where the number of vacancies exceeds the number of unemployed, many young adults still struggle to find meaningful work. This article explores their experiences as they develop career agency while encountering obstacles and barriers. Career agency is understood as an emergent phenomenon, shaped by both external limitations and intrapersonal development. Considering its relational and dialectical nature, we use Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to explore complex agency development among young adults. Through in-depth interviews with 25 young adults, we identified four types of contradictions. These contradictions, often characterized by conflicting motives, can be paralyzing. Some emerge between personal motives and external environments, while others stem from conflicting internal motives. Although such contradictions may hinder career agency, they can also stimulate development and professional growth. Our analysis further highlights formative intraventions. In some instances, we discovered that young adults adjusted their motives, norms, values, and needs to align with the expectations of their new environments, or they took a stance to change those environments. The ability to envision possible actions within their context appears to be crucial. Understanding these contradictions and responses can help mentors develop interventions that support young adults in navigating labor market challenges and building sustainable careers.

Hager (2019) proposed that ideas about the purpose and role of vocational education1 are shifting. Traditionally, vocational education aims to prepare students for a profession with standard knowle...

The lifelong development (LLD) of workers is gaining increasing attention owing to its benefits for individuals, organizations, and the society. However, not all workers participate, as various personal and contextual factors influence their LLD engagement. This study applies the Capability Approach (CA) of Amartya Sen to examine the multiple factors shaping individuals’ freedom to learn and develop and its implication for HRD. Based on a narrative review it categorizes 14 LLD capabilities (e.g., capability to aspire, capability of voice) and 6 conversion factors (institutional, economic, organizational, job characteristics, social, and personal) that either enable or constrain individuals’ abilities to realize these capabilities. The findings demonstrate that learning behavior is shaped by the interaction of dynamic personal, social, work-related, and institutional factors, rather than isolated variables. The resulting integrative framework advances HRD theory and research by providing a context-sensitive, dynamic, and social justice-informed perspective on freedom to learn and develop.