CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

The influence of career choice has a lasting impact on an individual, making a career

choice is a defining phase in every student’s life. Students have to consider several factors

before arriving at a decision. Students must be aware each one choices and how it connects to

their working lives, since the school is also mandated to produce good quality and right conduct.

A crucial influence in decision making regarding career is the home environment

(James, 2000) as it lays the foundation of a child’s personality. It’s the parent’s upbringing which

is the basis of the outcome of the personality. The values of the parents are transferred into the

child. Besides the home, another major determinant of career choice is media. It provides

exposure at the earliest stage. Media highlights social travails, global issues, trends and

fashions, portrays the glamour of a culture, and the glitter of the consumer world. Moreover, talk

shows, documentaries, movies and dramas portray careers such as law, media and advertising

as very glamorous and appealing, thus drawing students towards them.

Career choice is one of the biggest dilemma and challenge in any student’s life. It

involves interplay of many factors which are intricately intertwined. It is not a straightforward

task and involves a difficult process of decision making. This issue is not confined to Pakistan

only but is universal in nature. According to Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, and Pastorelli

(2001) an individual’s environment, talents, skills, and academic achievement exert an influence

on career choice. In case of a wrong choice, it may lead to resultant failure and disappointment.

Research shows homes, schools and the social setup influence an individual’s career choice.
 Financial prospects influence the career choice of men as they have to meet household

expenses, whereas women show more concern for social values and utility (Sax, 1994). Other

factors such as aptitude, life circumstances, and academic achievement have also been proven

as determinants of career choice (Ferry, 2006). Educational level of parents, their profession

and income are also identified as very important factors (Hearn 1984, 1988). Every student at a

certain juncture in their life has to make a choice regarding their career. It is incumbent that

students make the correct choice asserts Oladele (as cited in Nyarko-Sampson 2013). This will

make them more poised, stable, and endowed with a pleasant countenance. Consequently, it

will lead to knitting a better fabric for the society.

The career choice is one of the most important and sensitive matter in the life of the

individual, because this choice will result in building the entire professional future of the

individual. The influence of career choice has a lasting impact on an individual. It serves to be a

predictor and determinant of their prospective level of income, nature of work and consequently

leaves a mark on the personality, behavior and outlook of an individual. Any wrong decisions

regarding career can change the fate of an individual. An apt career decision and individual

action in this regard is manifested on a larger scale in the economic prosperity of a nation.

Individuals who are misfits in their workplace tend to be less productive and efficient, and

therefore are unable to achieve their goals.

In St. Isidore Labrador Child Development Center Inc. students factors affecting career

choice is also severe problem. Though just this school year 2021-2022 much of students have

no choice for choosing their career and some are their financial needs. It might the student

indisposed of the class due to different from their choice career, indeed students’ always in

canteen or in cutting classes. This is based by the present of Supreme Student Government of

the neither school nor teachers in the faculties.

 Career choice is something very hard to make especially as one’s livelihood depends on

it. Career choice has become a complex task among students in the face of ever changing

technology and their formation sector. Career according to Cambridge Advance learner’s

Dictionary (2005) refers to Job or series of job that you do during your working life. Thus

choosing a career simply means choosing a life job. Career choice is affected by multiple

factors include personality, interest, self-concept, identity, globalization, socialization, role

model, social support and available resources such as

Information and finance (Kerka, 2000). Onayase and Onayase, (2009) also carried out an

investigation Into other factors that could affect career choice, thus, identified religion, peer

group and some environmental factors. However, all careers have their subject requirements,

personality characteristics and personal abilities. All these are supposed to be fully assessed

before an individual can be verified to be qualified into a specific career (Onayase and Onayase,

2009).

Personal values and desires have seldom been realized without the active and

Conscious efforts on the part of the student. The student must be motivated to orchestrate the

outcome. If the student wants to work in the career choice process, the student must know and

understand the realities of that process. Only when the student has developed awareness, can

they begin to avoid dealing with the myths within the process as a whole. It is at that point the

student develops a practical plan of action to get what they want from the decisions of their

career choice. Most students have built career plans on the myths of what we think should be

rather on the reality of what is, so stated Weiler (1977).

Throughout a career, an individual seeks to accommodate the environment with one’s

goals, while at the same time being incorporated into the environment (Kroll, Dinklage, Lee,

Morley, & Wilson, 1970). Career development is the balancing of recognizing and meeting
needs of the individual while at the same time responding to the outer forces and realities of life.

Career decision factors involve two sets of input: the self and the world of work. The individual in

a career has constantly balanced one’s aspirations and how they have fitted into the reality of

the workplace.

A student’s personality must be a self-motivated type, as to investigate career

possibilities from early on in their lives, and not the procrastinating type that waits until they are

compelled to decide. Students must take seriously the role grades play in limiting opportunities

in the future. Splaver went on to say, “It is important for you to have a good understanding of

yourself, your personality, if you are to make intelligent career plans” (Splaver, 1977).

The purpose of this research was to investigate the various choices which have an C

students chose their respective fields, had to reconcile with circumstances or had a say in the

decisions. It gives an insight into the various factors which influence students’ decision

making.influence on students’ career choice. It looked into the interplay of various decision

making influences on students’ chosen field.

Many students did not place enough focus on their career choices, and as a result, they

believe that the career or track they are pursuing in secondary education are unrelated to the

profession they may later specialize in a higher education level (Cabanias, 2021). The

importance of career planning is the guide what choice is about to take that cannot be denied.

According to Olaosebikan and Olusakin (2014) and exploring career opportunities prior deciding

to on a career path, according to Navin (2009), strengthens career development success and

satisfaction.

Several studies have been carried out to determine the various aspects that affect,

relate to, and influence a student's career decision. The majority of research that looked at the
elements that influence students' career and course preferences was focused on senior high

school students' career and course preferences for college (Rin, 2021; Dangoy & Madrigal,

2020; Okwulehie, 2018; Penedilla & Rosaldo, 2017; BUENAFLOR & Buenaflor, 2015; Khoo et

al., 2015; Fizer, 2013). There were just a few studies that looked into the impact of junior high

school students' job decisions on their senior high school academics (Caluma, 2019; Ouano et

al., 2019; Kaneez & Medha). In the local study, there were a few studies undertaken that

focused on the examination of junior high school career preferences (Caluma, 2019; Ouano et

al., 2019).
Theoretical Background

Belief in one’s capacity and sincere desire to achieve certain goal is dynamic and

positive attitudes that are stronger magnetic forces which by its nature attracts good results.

Belief stimulates power within oneself and sincere desire by a magnetic attraction will move

toward you. It is important to emphasize that the basic factor to succeed is not how much one

knows or how hard he works on it, but also rather how one handles and/or blocks difficulties

with enthusiasm.

It is necessary that the youth for today’s generation must be careful and wise in

choosing the strand that leads to their career or vocation because it will determine the success

for the next stages of his life and also measure one’s interest, intelligence and aptitude. A

choice encompasses a variety of possible pattern of lifestyle. It is a way of life what a person

chooses, he selects his life.

A wrong choice may result to failure and dropout, and therefore, a waste of time, money

and effort. Considering the cost of education and time element involved, it is a must for a

student to carefully assess and understand the different factors necessary in choosing their

strand that leads to their desired career, since work produces satisfaction if it is congenial to the

aptitude, interest or values of a person, he must be corrected towards self – evaluation for

proper choice of strand that leads to their preferred vocation for a better and blissful

future.

Obviously, one’s choice of strand should ideally be conditioned by one’s preference

based on criteria or assessment of one’s capabilities, interest and aptitudes. This is so, for

one’s getting satisfaction and enjoyment from studying leading to the work a chosen
profession is also viewed as a source of program and altogether a social leader for

improving one’s socio – economic status, it is indeed a fact that quitting from school among

our young people is due to wrong ideas about choosing a strand.

The present study was based on the idea of Kelly based in Man’s will which states

that the will is man’s rational appetitive power with a tendency to desire, to seek, and to

enjoy that which is comprehended by the intellectual as good. (Kelly, 1995)

It is for this reason that the researchers wanted to ascertain the factors influencing

the decision – making related to the choice of strand among Senior High School Grade 11 –

Students in St. Isidore Labrador Child Development Center Inc.

“If there is a will there is a way.” In choosing a career, suitability to the interest of

the students is given importance. Students must know on what degree to pursue in college,

one that interest them and must also fit their abilities so that it will not be hard for them to

choose the right career path. The kind of career a person has an affect his or her life in a

great number of ways. The career also affects the way other people act toward you. By

making a wise career decision can help one’s self build the life they want. Senior high

school students may not be able to identify their own deficiency as far as their choices are

concerned because of the interrelationship of these factors, such as age, gender, the socio –

economic status of the family. Stated, that the greatest barrier among students pursuing

their own career and having command over their life is the lack of in – depth knowledge of

the said career. In addition, knowledge is required to make valid career preferences.

(Philips, 1986)
 Then, it is the responsibility of guidance counselors to supply these senior high

school students with enough and pertinent information and proper interpretations

concerning their abilities, aptitudes, interest, needs, temperament and personal

characteristics to help them make crucial decisions. What most likely could lead the

students to their maximum development and ultimate success is likewise the concern of

educational guidance. Through these programs, the students are given assistance in

attaining a high level of efficiency and satisfying results in the activities in which they will

engage in. As a whole, they will be helpful in formulating systematic goals and plans for

their future.

Educational leaders and programmers have agreed that instructions in schools be

made to suit the students’ needs and prepare for a life work where they could utilize their

abilities, talents, and interest so they could find satisfaction and self – fulfillment. Bautista

(as cited in Bulaong, 1986) stated that elementary education provides a foundation for

formal education. It is when high school where students starts to feel tangibly about career

preferences. He cited, Castillo (1963), who stressed that the redirection and guidance of the

high school youth because; it is in that stage where skills, capacities and decisions are

developed. The youth should get a through picture of their aspirations and expectations.

According to Supeer (2005), the students should first become aware of the need for

a career. So every graduating student needs a wise choice in decision making. Bautista

(1997) stated that at this stage, a student must take important and vital decision in the

selection of a career which will determine his/her future success.

“If there is a will, there is a way.” However, the question is: “who provides the way for the

willed students?”

According to Gramsci (1999), the ones who need the ends, need the means. Are the

means provided are scientific and supportive to the wanted ends of the students? Or they

are captives or prisoners of tyranny of educational system that steal their freedom to

choose their own path? The need to find out the factors affecting the career preferences

among senior high school students gave the impetus to this study.
Theoretical Framework

There are various factors that affect career preferences of senior high school students

such as personal attributes, academic background, and socio – economic factors. These factors

can directly or indirectly affects career preferences of the respondents. Motivation is basically

the determinant of anyone’s decision. It can be intrinsic, extrinsic motivation or both. Maslow’s

hierarchy of needs is the fundamental theory of one’s behavior including the motivation of doing

something. The students’ choice of career may be attributed to their physiological needs, good

and decent meals, shelter for safety, recognitions and belongingness to the family, intrinsic

motivation of self-discover and actualization. There could be some reasons for some as what

Skinner’s Operant Conditioning described. People behave or do (refrain from doing) things

because of rewards and punishments. Some students could have been forced to take the

career they planned because of fear (negative stimulant). Piaget's (1936) theory of cognitive

development explains how a child constructs a mental model of the world. He disagreed with

the idea that intelligence was a fixed trait, and regarded cognitive development as a process

which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment.

The cognitive development was a progressive reorganization of mental processes as a

result of biological maturation and environmental experience (Leod, 2017). Executive function

and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention,

remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Just as an air traffic control

system at a busy airport safely manages the arrivals and departures of many aircraft on multiple

runways, the brain needs this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve

goals, and control impulses. When children have opportunities to develop executive function

and self-regulation skills, individuals and society experience lifelong benefits, these skills are
crucial for learning and development. They also enable positive behavior and allow us to make

healthy choices for ourselves and our families. Executive function and self-regulation skills

depend on three types of brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control.

These functions are highly interrelated, and the successful application of executive function

skills requires them to operate in coordination with each other. Each type of executive function

skill draws on elements of the others.

 Working memory governs our ability to retain and manipulate distinct pieces of information

over short periods of time.

 Mental flexibility helps us to sustain or shift attention in response to different demands or to

apply different rules in different setting.

 Self-control enables us to set priorities and resist impulsive actions or responses. Children

aren’t born with these skills—they are born with the potential to develop them. If children do not

get what they need from their relationships with adults and the conditions in their environments

—or (worse) if those influences are sources of toxic stress—their skill development can be

seriously delayed or impaired. Adverse environments resulting from neglect, abuse, and/or

violence may expose children to toxic stress, which disrupts brain architecture and impairs the

development of executive function. Providing the support that children need to build these skills

at home, in early care and education programs, and in other settings they experience regularly

is one of society’s most important responsibilities. Growth-promoting environments provide

children with “scaffolding” that helps them practice necessary skills before they must perform

them alone. Adults can facilitate the development of a child’s executive function skills by

establishing routines, modeling social behavior, and creating and maintaining supportive,

reliable relationships. It is also important for children to exercise their developing skills through

activities that foster creative play and social connection, teach them how to cope with stress,
involve vigorous exercise, and over time, provide opportunities for directing their own actions

with decreasing adult supervision (harvard.edu, 2017).

The study is anchored in the theory of Social Cognitive Career Theory advocated by

Lent et al. (1994). The theory was based on Bandura's overall social cognitive theory, which

was mainly focused on the influential theory of cognitive and motivational practices and has

been gradually expanded to the research of several areas of psychosocial functioning, including

student achievement, health-related behaviors, and management effectiveness (Bandura,

1986). The theory defined three interrelated areas of professional growth: fundamental

professional and vocational interest development, academic and professional decision, and

academic and career achievement.

The theory integrates several ideas such as interest, skills, and environmental influences

that have been proved to influence career development in previous career models. The core

building blocks of the theory were three closely related variables: self-efficacy beliefs, result

expectancies, and goals. Self-efficacy pertains to an individual's private ideas about his or her

ability to undertake specific actions or courses of action. Self-efficacy beliefs, unlike global

confidence or self-esteem, are rather dynamic and tailored to certain activity domains.

Furthermore, the theory assumes that individuals are more likely to become interest in,

choose to explore, and work better at areas in which they have a strong sense of self-belief, as

provided as they also have the requisite competencies and environmental supports. The theory

was linked in the current study since the study focused on the investigation of the factors
Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study:

Independent Variables: Dependent Variable:

Family influence

Future Job Opportunities

Choice of Strand
Peer Influence

Personal influence

Figure1. Schematic Diagram .of the study showing the Relationship between the Variables
involved in the study.
THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the factors affecting career choice among Grade 11
students of Saint Isidore Labrador Child Development Center Incorporated for School Year
2022-2023.

Statement of the problem

More specifically, this study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the socio- economic profiles of the Grade 11 students in terms of?

1.1 age;

1.2 sex;

1.3 strands;

1.4 specializations;

2. What are the factors that affect the choice of career?

2.1 Personal Interest

2.2 Family Influence

2.3 Future Job opportunities

2.4 Peer Influence

3. What is the efficacy of factors affects the career choice of Grade 11 students?

4. What intervention can be proposed?

Significance of the Study

Significance of the Study This study provides valuable information to the following

stakeholders: Parents. The result of this study envisioned to give parents an idea the

importance of career preferences of the students’ Postsecondary plans. The result of the

study serves as reference materials for future research studies of career choice of the

Grade 11 students. The result of this study enlightened the students on the significance of

career choices as it exerts a profound influence on an individual’s life. Teachers - It is important

for them to know what teaching style and strategies they should use to the students, because

they will be the one providing the knowledge to the children.

The following gathered in this research will be useful to the following:

Through this research students and parents will gain a better understanding of the

importance of career choice and find out the disadvantages of factors affecting career choice.

Thus, it will bring awareness and development on the students’ responsibility in preparing

themselves to choose their prior courses and it will be also their starting point of their lives, as

they will have their job/work in the near future and would not be an issue ton them anymore.

The teachers and administrators provide information about the reasons behind students’

career choice and it can also help them formulate an effective strategy that could encourage

lessening the factors that could affect students’ choice. This research will serve as the basis of

students’ to choose the correct path.

This study may lead to the alternation of current career choice policy in favor of

combination of differing methods designed to reduce the factors that can affects students’

career choice. Studies that examine changes of students’ to choose right path and associated

disciplinary policies in light of the demands made upon educators regarding accountability that
can contribute understanding of the success or failure of restorative justice concepts as applied

to chronically factors affecting students’ career choice.

METHODOLOGY

Sampling

Since there are only _, total enumeration was utilized. All of them were given checklist on career

choices and identified those who are undecided to choose their career before senior high

school.

Data Collection

Survey questionnaire were used to gather the data among Grade 11 students to determine who

are undecided to choose their career before Senior High School.

Plan for Data Analysis

This study employed descriptive to analyze their experience of undesirability in making career

choice.

Ethical Issues

The purpose of the research was thoroughly explained how they will benefit from the study

towards school improvement. There were no risks and discomforts that involved in the study.

The schedule of the interview and focus group discussion was carefully planned and organized

according to the availability of both parties. Strict confidentiality of the respondents was

implemented by using code names or pseudonyms. The respondents were not forced to

participate in the study. It was thoroughly explained that anytime they wish to withdraw they are

free to do so anytime and in any day.

 Definition of Terms

For the purpose of clarity, the following terms were defined for easy understanding of the

content of the study.

Choice – the act of picking or deciding between two or more possibilities.

Decision – the choice that you make about something after thinking about it.

Decision–making – is the process of making decisions, gathering information and

assessing alternative resolutions.

Family – a group of people who are related to each other.

Factors – something that helps produce or influence a result.

Future – the period of time that will come after the present time.

Opportunities – an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done.

Peer Influence – the effect on an individual who gets encouraged to follow their peers

by changing their attitudes, values or behaviors to conform to those of group or individual.

Personality – the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s

distinctive character.

Chronically- continuing or occurring again and again for a long time.

Confidentiality- the state of keeping or being kept secret or private.