CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Career is the series of jobs that a person has in a particular area of work; usually involving more responsibility as time passes.

Choice According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary, is the act of choosing between two or more possibilities; something that you can choose or the right to choose or the possibility of choosing.

            The main reasons why peoples have to choose career especially young persons, are propelled by intrinsic and extrinsic factors to the individual undertaking the decision.

            Bandura et al (2001) opined that the factors influencing the process of career development include their personal aptitudes and educational attainment. In the developed countries and other parts of the world, the philosophy of education is based among others, on the development of the individual into a sound and effective, citizen fully integrated into community (NPE, 2004). There are different nations that have pursued and have adopted new changes in their education sector so as to satisfy their societal needs, most especially they need to prepare individuals for works and make them economically and self-dependent. Education is seen as a ‘meal ticket’ and ‘lunch pad’ into the works. The important function of education is too prepare youth for their future career. Most often adolescents and youths finds it difficult to choose a career that will satisfy their personal, economic and intellectual goals, because they do not have the knowledge to explore different career choice options and possibilities don’t have the knowledge of pre-requisites of such careers. (WATTLES, 2009). One has not only to make due career research before making a career choice so as to adjust with the evolving socio-economic condition.

            Most of students who are secondary schools do not have accurate information about occupational opportunities to help them make appropriate career choice. Career choice is influenced by multiple factors including personality, globalization, socialization, role model, social support and available resources such as information and financial (KERKA 2000).

            In a longitudinal years in school and the total number of science and courses taken in secondary school are related to choice of science and maths as majors when entering college, NAUTA AND PERSON (2003). The home associated with career interest and decision includes, parents, socio-economic statues, level of education, family size and temperament, GESHINDE (2001) listed sex role, age, religion and family are factors influencing career choice. Moreso, the home provides the necessary needs in choosing a career through the interaction within the family.

            The factors influencing career choice of students who graduated from an Urban Area, may choose Agricultural Education Programme or may not choose Agriculture. Secondary School Educational experiences and work experiences are factors influencing choices of students who decide not to choose career in Agriculture. This may be lack of interest in the field e.t.c., (ESTERS AND BOWEN 2005).

            We also have gender differences in career development whereby children from the ages of 13-14years developed two cognitive competencies related to career development, which are self-concept and perceptions about the occupations female students might not choose a occupations that are generally based for the masculine (e.g a career as a miner) and they might consider eliminating choices that are perceived as how social prestige status (e.g career as a housemaid) with regard to gender differences in career development aspects, studies have shown that females have different career patterns than males (KRAKAUER & CHEU, 2003) and female have been found to have the higher scores on career commitment than men. In order to ensure satisfaction with life long vocations, individuals need to consider very serious factors and choose careers that will satisfy their personal, economic and intellectual goal.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Secondary School Students select career based on many factors. Most often their choices and decisions are uniformed and majorly students need to be guilded by either the school counselor or the parent before choosing a career. Therefore, this study specifically is set out to investigate factors influencing career choice of students in secondary school before proceeding into higher institution.

1.3       JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

The justification of study is to investigate senior secondary school student career development, by applying the social cognitive career theory, to examine the relationship among learning experience, gender, career self efficacy, outcome, expectation, vocational interest and career aspiration.

1.4       OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

To find out the factor influencing career choice among secondary school students. To establish the level of influence of factors on career choice. To investigate the choice of careers, subjects and courses of students in school. This study is to find out factors influencing career choice of secondary schools, in Yewa South Local Government.

1.5       SCOPE OF STUDY/ DELIMINATION

This study is restricted to secondary school student in Yewa South Local Government.

1.6       LIMITATION OF STUDY

The Researcher will face problem like finance, time transportation, communication Barrier.