INFLUENCE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC TO THE CAREER DECISIONS OF THE

BS TOURISM MANAGEMENT GRADUATES OF

BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY
A.Y. 2019-2020

Revised Research Title: COVID-19 Pandemic as a Determinant of Career

Preference Among The BS Tourism Management Graduates of Bulacan State
University A.Y. 2019-2020

Chapter I
Problem and Its Background

1.1 Background of The Study

The Tourism Industry is one of the major industries that has been continuously
contributing to the growth of the Philippine economy. It is stated by the Philippine
Statistics Authority that Philippine tourism contributed 12.2% to the local economy in the
year 2017 and US$37 billion in terms of value, 24.2% higher than the previous year.
The Tourism industry in the Philippines also helped in increasing the employment rate
as it offers unlimited job opportunities. However, with the occurrence of COVID-19
pandemic in 2019, its negative impact in the tourism industry has been felt since early
2020. Travel restrictions of other countries made the international tourist arrivals in the
Philippines decline. The closure of borders, airports, hotels, etc. affected the workforce
in the tourism industry as there is a need to cut down the number of employees to
minimize the staff to prevent the further spread of the virus. Aside from the already
existing workforce, the BS Tourism Management graduates of Bulacan State University
A.Y. 2019-2020 have also been affected by this dilemma.
The study is conducted by the researchers with an aim of identifying how the
COVID-19 pandemic influenced the career decisions of the BSTM graduates of Bulacan
State University A.Y. 2019-2020. As most of the BSTM graduates are facing difficulties
in employment in the tourism industry caused by the lack of job opportunities because
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers seek to determine whether majority of the
BSTM graduates chose to pursue a career in the field of tourism or chose to pursue a
different career path and the underlying factors that lead to their decision such as age,
gender, civil status, etc.
1.2 Statement of The Problem
General Problem:
This study will seek to analyze the influence of Covid-19 pandemic on the career
decisions of the BS Tourism Management graduates of Bulacan State University A.Y.
2019-2020.

Specific Problem:
1. What is the demographic profile of respondents in terms of:
1.1 age
1.2 gender
1.3 civil status
2. What are the factors that affect the career decisions of the BS Tourism
Management graduates?
3. What are the factors that influence BS Tourism Management graduates to
pursue a career in the field of tourism?
4. What are the factors that influence BS Tourism Management graduates to
pursue a different career path?
5. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of respondents and the
career decisions of the BS Tourism Management graduates of Bulacan State
University A.Y. 2019-2020?

1.3 Significance of The Study

The researchers conducted the study to bring light to the career decisions of
BSTM graduates of Bulacan State University A.Y. 2019-2020 on whether they pursued
a career in the field of tourism industry or pursued a different career path in line with
decrease in job opportunities in the tourism industry due to COVID-19 pandemic. The
beneficiaries of the study will be the following:

Current and Soon to Graduate Tourism Management Students - The study will help
current and soon to graduate Tourism Management students to have an insight on how
they will plan out their career if the pandemic is still around after graduating in the
future.

Future Researchers - The future researchers will benefit from the study as it can serve
as their preference for further development of the study's topic.
1.4 Scope and Delimitation of The Study
The researchers conducted the study at Bulacan State University A.Y. 2021-2022.
The respondents of the study are the BS Tourism graduates of Bulacan State University
A.Y. 2019-2020. The study is conducted to gather data about the career decisions of
the respondents during the peak of pandemic.

1.5 Conceptual Framework

Independent Variable. Dependent Variable

COVID-19. Career decisions of BSTM
Pandemic. graduates of Bulacan State University
A.Y. 2019-2020

1.6 Definition of Terms

COVID-19 - also known as Coronavirus Disease, an infectious disease caused by the

SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Tourism Industry - provides goods or services to facilitate business, pleasure, and
leisure activities away from home environment.
Independent Variable - something that influences the dependent variable.
Dependent Variable - is what happens as a result of independent variable.
 Chapter II
Review of Related Literature and Studies

As per findings in the study of Joshi, Adithi, Sathe, and Survana (2021), the
respondents stated that the COVID-19 outbreak seemed to have an impact for
themselves in training experience however, they still want to continue to choose the
hotel and tourism industry as a career option and it is their already assumption that the
industry will provide them with career opportunities.
According to the study of Shah et al. (2021), the image of the industry contributes
a lot to the students' career perceptions and attitudes. The industry's image may affect
their decisions positively or negatively. The tourism industry has been expanding
continuously as the time passes by, providing an increase in employment opportunities.
It is said that a total of 6140 students were enrolled in the final semester of hospitality
management for the year 2019-2020 (Shah et al.,2021) in India because of the
increasing work opportunities the expansion of the tourism industry has brought.
However, it is expected to see a decline in the number of tourism student enrollees. In
this time of COVID-19 pandemic, despite being one of the countries with low death rate,
India's tourism industry has also declined because of the lockdown. Hence, resulting in
the reduction of work options in the tourism industry. Considering this situation, it is
expected for a tight competition for available positions to occur when the industry
reopens, affecting the student's decision to pursue a career in the tourism industry.

In reference to the study of C.M. Benaraba et al. (2021), various studies have
been conducted on tourism students’ career-making intentions after the pandemic
started, determining the factors affecting the students’ attitude towards their career
goals, and their intentions to start the profession after graduation. In this study, it has
been stated that the student considered different variables in choosing their path during
the pandemic. Gender, friend and family influence, work experience for instance, are
various factors that affect career-making intentions of the students. There are
participants that chose alternative plans such as a career in the government service,
establishing their own business, pursuing further studies, and other opportunities
outside the tourism industry. All things considered, it appears that the number of
participants intending to pursue a career in tourism was higher before corona virus and
disease but decreased after corona virus and disease.

Reichenberg, Ina and Marguerita, and Raymond (2021) assert that due to the
COVID-19, most of the students strengthened their commitment to their previously
selected career. Prepared to find alternative job options throughout the initial recovery
period due to a distinguished lack of behavioral control, the ability to utilize their degree
to induce change and make long lasting difference to redesign tourism for the better and
set aside the increasingly negative subjective norms and initial doubt and anxiety.
Results showed students held mainly a positive attitude to the future tourism career and
to understand a potentially higher future value of a tertiary tourism degree. According to
Gulsun Yildirim, Cengiz Bal, and Olcay Özişik Yapici (2021), postgraduate level students are
more willing to pursue their career in the field of tourism industry than to receive the tourism
education at the undergraduate level.

RRL MATRIX
NAME OF AUTHOR/YEAR TITLE OF THE FINDINGS
STUDENT STUDY
Andrea Ashley C. Reichenberg, Ina Students Due to the Covid-
Agno and Marguerita, Perceptions of 19 most of the
and Raymond tertiary tourism students
(2021) students and strengthened the
career during commitment to their
COVID- 9 previously selected
Pandemic career. Prepared to
find alternative job
options throughout
the initial recovery
period due to a
distinguished lack
of behavioral
control, the ability
to utilize their
degree to induce
change and make
long lasting
difference to
redesign tourism for
the better and set
aside the
increasingly
negative subjective
norms and initial
doubt and anxiety.
Result students
held mainly a
positive attitude to
the future tourism
 career and to
understand a
potentially higher
future value of a
tertiary tourism
degree.
Deva A. Dajay C. Shah, A. Impact of COVID- According to the
Chowdhury, and V. 19 on tourism and study of Shah et al.
Gupta (2021) hospitality (2021), the image
of the industry
students’
contributes a lot to
perceptions of
the students' career
career
perceptions and
opportunities and
attitudes. The
future prospects in industry's image
India may affect their
decisions positively
or negatively. The
tourism industry
has been
expanding
continuously as the
time passes by,
providing an
increase in
employment
opportunities. It is
said that a total of
6140 students were
enrolled in the final
semester of
hospitality
management for
the year 2019-2020
(Shah et al.,2021)
in India because of
the increasing work
opportunities the
expansion of the
tourism industry
has brought.
However, it is
expected to see a
 decline in the
number of tourism
student enrollees.
In this time of
COVID-19
pandemic, despite
being one of the
countries with low
death rate, India's
tourism industry
has also declined
because of the
lockdown. Hence,
resulting in the
reduction of work
options in the
tourism industry.
Considering this
situation, it is
expected for a tight
competition for
available positions
to occur when the
industry reopens,
affecting the
student's decision
to pursue a career
in the tourism
industry.
Princess O. Joshi, Aditi; Sathe, Impact of Covid-19 As per findings,
Laderas Survana (2021) on Employment respondents just
Opportunities for said that the
Fresh Graduates In outbreak seemed to
Hospitality and have an impact for
Tourism Industry themselves in
training experience
but still they want to
continue to choose
the hotel and
tourism industry as
a career option and
it’s their already
assumption that the
 industry will provide
them with career
opportunities.
Cassidy Nuque Gulsun Yildirim, Cengiz How Did Covid-19 According to Gulsun
Bal, and Olcay Özişik Affect Career Yildirim, Cengiz Bal,
Yapici, (March 2021) Intentions of Students and Olcay Özişik Yapici,
Studying Tourism March 2021,
postgraduate level are
more willing to pursue
their career in the field
of tourism industry
than to receiving the
tourism education at
the undergraduate
level.

Ashley Santos C.M. Benaraba, N.J. A Comparative Various studies have

Bulaon, S.M. Analysis on the Career been conducted on
Escosio,A.H. Narvaez, Perceptions of Tourism tourism students’
A.N. Suinan, M. Roma. Management Students career-making
(2021) Before and During the intentions after the
COVID-19 Pandemic pandemic started,
determining the factors
affecting the students’
attitude towards their
career goals, and their
intentions to start the
profession after
graduation. In this
study, it has been
stated that the student
considered different
variables in choosing
their path during the
pandemic. Gender,
friend and family
influence, work
experience for instance,
are various factors that
affect career-making
intentions of the
students. There are
participants that chose
alternative plans such
as a career in the
government service,
establishing their own
 business, pursuing
further studies, and
other opportunities
outside the tourism
industry. All things
considered, it appears
that the number of
participants intending to
pursue a career in
tourism was higher
before corona virus and
disease but decreased
after corona virus and
disease.

Chapter III
Methods and Procedures

3.1 Research Design

The researchers used descriptive research design where the collected data was
analysed to present in an understandable manner. The researchers chose this research
design because it is the most suitable for the study.

3.2 Population and Sample of The Study

3.3 Sampling Design

The researchers used a non-probability sampling technique in the form of
purposive sampling where the respondents were chosen according to the researchers'
discernment.

3.4 Research Instrument

The researchers used a survey questionnaire for the research instrument to
gather data from the respondents. The survey questionnaires were disseminated
Google forms.
3.5 Data Gathering Procedure
The respondents were approached by the researchers in a professional manner
and queried them to participate in the study. The survey questionnaire was then given
to the respondents through Google forms for the researchers to analyze.