Factors that Influence Grade 12 Academic Strand Students

in Career Decision-Making at Paranaque National High

School-Main School Year 2022-2023: Basis for Strengthened

Career Guidance Program

____________________

A Research Project
Presented to the
Senior High School Program
Paranaque National High School Main
____________________

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for Research Project:
Quantitative Research
____________________

Presented by:

BALDOZA, SANDARA C.
DULAY, VONG JOSHUA
GARGANTIEL, RHEA LIZA M.
LEONARDO, ASIA ANTONIA F.
ORAPA, MA. DONNA H.

Submitted to:

FERDINAND IAN B. FABIAN, LPT

2023

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Page | 2
 ABSTRACT

Many academic strand senior high school students are unable to make
decisions independently because of the perplexity of the educational and
occupational worlds, particularly when it comes to picking the appropriate
course. This study aims to determine the factors influencing Grade 12
academic strand students' career decision-making at Parañaque National
High School- Main S.Y 2022-2023 to formulate a strengthened career
guidance program.

The descriptive survey method of research was used in this

investigation. The respondents were chosen through a stratified sampling
technique and were given a survey questionnaire where they are required to
answer the questions in relation to the focus of the study. The study used a
correlational research method to determine the relationship between each
variable on how will affect their career decision-making.

This study highlights that for a career decision taken by an individual,

there exist several influences. These influences shape the future of society
since career choice decisions even of a single individual are very important
for a society. The researchers concluded that students' key choices are
primarily determined by career-related factors such as employment stability,
availability, and financial benefits. Students are more inclined to select
careers that would pave the way for a better and more secure future.

Keywords: Career Decision-making, Factors, Interests, Future

employability, Descriptive survey

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author of this research report would like to express their gratitude to
everyone who helped and inspired them.

Thanks be to God Almighty for providing them with daily strength as

they conducted their research as well as for providing them with unending
direction and illumination to overcome this challenge.

They varied all the findings from the numerous sectors of interest that
were aligned in their research paper by referring to the writers of all the
publications in online academic journals.

To the grade 12 students at Parañaque National High School Main who

diligently and sincerely answer their survey questionnaire to finish this
research output.

Foremost, it is a genuine pleasure to express their deep sense of thanks

to their research adviser, Mr. Ferdinand Ian Balguna Fabian who help them
to finish this research and gave advice in every research chapter.

The researcher wishes to express their sincere gratitude to their families,

particularly to their beloved parents who generously gave them their
unwavering support and encouragement.

S.C.B
V.J.D
G.R.L
A.F.L
D.H.O

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 INTRODUCTION

This research studied the factors that influence some of the grade 12
students in career decision-making. The study focused on the personal
interest, peer pressure, job opportunities, and financial conditions of the
respondents. These factors greatly affected the demographic profile of the
respondents, including their sex, academic strand, and socio-economic
status.
As stated by Nelson (2021) the lack of access to education is one of
the country's most urgent socioeconomic problems. They are consequently
at a disadvantage while trying to find work or even just comprehending
fundamental social issues. According to Quiño (2022), a student's career
choice is one of the most significant problems and obstacles that they face
during their academic career. It entails the exchange of many intricately
intertwined components, a student's current circumstances, gifts, abilities,
and scholarly achievements all influence career choice. Lamichhane et al.
(2022) found that family influences children's career choices and the
learner's capacity to identify their chosen professional path. Parental
influence is regarded as one of the most influential aspects of professional
decision-making studies. This means that the financial ability of the family to
support the student should be a primary consideration while deciding which
course to enroll in (Bangayan, 2022).
The disparities between more recent statistics and earlier studies and
literature, on the other hand, are highly anticipated. Notably in terms of
factors influencing a student's choice of course career. As a result, the
current study focused on this primary goal, with the intention to offer a basis
for a strengthened career guidance program.

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 This research aimed to identify the factors influencing senior high
school students' decisions regarding their college course of study. This
inspired the researcher to carry out this investigation to learn more about
the variables affecting senior high school students' referrals for college
courses. To provide a strengthened career guidance program as a guide to
assist students in selecting the best career for them.
The present study is anchored on the Social Cognitive Career Theory
(SCCT). According to Lent, Brown, and Hackett (1994), the developed SCCT
empowered understanding of career choice, interest, and performance
processes. SCCT has been divided into two levels of theoretical analysis; the
performance of cognitive person variables and the breakdown of the
additional sets of variables that might influence career-related interests and
behavior.
This theory acknowledges the aspects that interchange when a
particular track progressed on the chosen career path of the students.
Furthermore, using social cognitive processes provides a framework that
explains accomplishment and failure, educational outcomes, and career
outcomes. Choosing the best career or education program that fits the
student’s personality will lead to better career well-being, success-job
satisfaction, good grades, and graduation on time.

The general hypothesis of this study was/is there is no significant

relationship between the demographic profile of the respondents and the
factors that influenced them in career decision-making.

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 METHODS

This study used the correlational method. A research design that

investigates the relationship between two or more variables without the

researcher’s manipulation. The data used in this study is the student's

perception of the factors that influence career decision-making. A stratified

sampling technique is used where researchers first divide a population into

smaller subgroups, or strata, based on shared characteristics of the

members and then randomly select among these groups to form the final

sample. Using this technique, this study became unbiased as it is based on

the student’s willingness to answer the survey schedule or not. As a result,

the researchers cannot manipulate the results of the survey, making the

conclusion accurate.

This study was conducted at Paranaque National High School Main

school year of 2022-2023. The respondents of this study are the two (2)

sections of each academic strand; Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM), and

Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) of Grade 12 students of Parañaque

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National High School-Main. The researchers needed the students as they are

the ones who experienced the pressure of choosing their desired careers.

The researchers wrote a letter of consent for the research project's

implementation, with the researcher's signature and the thesis adviser's

approval underlined. A letter asking for permission to collect data was also

written and sent to the respondents. The information acquired must include

each respondent's indicator for each indicator on the instrument being

utilized, as well as their demographic profile. The information was

contrasted, examined, and interpreted.

This study used four (4) statistical treatments for the gathered data

such as percentage; this was used to make exact distribution of respondents

and specify the quantity of the population to a given data, frequency; this

refers to the reoccurrence of common responses to each categorized

question on the questionnaire, arithmetic mean; it is the sum of all the

responses each item divided by the number of respondents who answered in

the same given. Mean is simply getting the average of all the responses in

each indicator, and Pearson (r) coefficient correlation; is a statistical

instrument used to determine the degree of relationship between the

students’ achievement and teachers’ competency.

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 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

TABLE 1

Interval

Range Scale Visual

Interpretation
3.26 – 4.00 4 Strongly Agree
2.51 – 3.25 3 Agree
1.76 – 2.50 2 Disagree
1.00 – 1.75 1 Strongly
Disagree

TABLE 2
Sex of the Respondents

SEX FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Male 123 41%

Female 177 59%
TOTAL 300 100%

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 Based on the table, our male respondents are 41% while our female
respondents are 59%. Therefore, most of our respondents are Female
because it has 59%.

TABLE 3

Academic Strand of the Respondents

Academic PERCENTAGE
Strand FREQUENCY (%)
STEM 100 33.33%
HumSS 100 33.33%
ABM 100 33.33%
TOTAL 300 100%

Table 3 shows the academic strand of the respondents. As shown in

the table, the same percentage of 33.33% was given by all STEM, HumSS,
and ABM respondents.

TABLE 4

Socio-Economic Status of the Respondents

PERCENTAGE
Household Monthly FREQUENCY (%)
Income
Less than 20,000 167 55.67%
21,000-30,000 71 23.67%

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 31,000-40,000 32 10.67%
41,000 AND ABOVE 30 10%

TOTAL 300 100%

As shown in Table 4, 55.67% of the respondents have less than

20,000 household incomes, while 23.67 % have a 21,000-30,000 monthly
income. 10.67% of the students have a household income of 31,000-40,000.
The rest of the percentage represents students with a household income of
41,000 and above at 10%.

Table 5.1

Personal Interest WM VI
1. I select a course depending on my preferences. 3.52 SA

2. I choose the course that fits my skills and interests. 3.4 A

3. I consider my aptitudes and capabilities in choosing 3.29 SA

the course.

4. I would prefer to choose a course that is challenging. 3.07 A

5. I choose a course because I was inspired by one of 2.36 D

my peers.

6. I am confused about my future. 2.73 A

General Weighted Mean 3.06 A

The table shows that question number 1 got the highest weighted
mean with 3.52, which means the respondents strongly agreed that they
select a course depending on their preferences. On the contrary, question

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number 5 got the lowest weighted mean with 2.36, implying that they
choose a course because they were inspired by one of their peers.

Table 5.2

Peer Pressure WM VI
1. I would choose a career that my peers have already 1.86 D
decided on.

2. Teachers actively encourage me to consider a wide 2.65 A

range of career choices.

3. I choose a course because my friends have given me 2.3 D

information about obtaining this college profession.

4. I choose a college career because my friends are in 1.89 D

this course.

5. My friends forced me to pick a course based on their 1.74 SD

preferences.

6. I believe that my friends are the ones who are 1.73 SD

responsible to choose my career since they know what
is best for me.

General Weighted Mean 2.02 D

This table tells us that question 2 got the highest weighted mean with
2.65, which attests that the participants disagreed that their teachers
actively encourage them to consider a wide range of courses. Meanwhile,
question number 6 got the lowest weighted mean of 1.73 means the
respondents strongly disagreed that their friends are the ones who are

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responsible to choose their career even though they think it was best for
them, it was shown that the respondents do not depend on their peers.

Table 5.3

Job Opportunities WM VI
1. I choose the course based on its demand. 2.82 A

2. I prefer a course based on its employability and 3.22 A

stability.

3. I choose a course based on salary expectations. 3.05 A

4. I pick a career because of its variety of job offerings. 3 A

5. I choose a course because of its popularity in the job 2.84 A

industry

6. I select a course because its working conditions suit 3.2 A

me well.

General Weighted Mean 3.02 A

As you can see in the table, question number 2 got the highest
weighted mean with 3.22, meaning the participants agreed that they prefer
a course based on its employability and stability. On the other hand,
question 1 got the lowest weighted mean with 2.82 which signifies that the
respondents agreed that they choose a course based on its demand.

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 Table 5.4

Financial Condition WM VI
1. I choose a course because my family can afford it. 2.97 A

2. I prefer the course based on scholarship 3.1 A

opportunities.

3. I choose a course based on tuition cost. 2.9 D

4. I prefer a course based on its financial support by the 2.39 D

LGU.

5. I consider a course based on my parent’s income. 3 A

6. I choose a course that would not cause financial 3.18 A

stress for my parents.

General Weighted Mean 2.92 A

According to the findings, question number 6 earned the highest

weighted mean of 3.18, indicating that respondents believed they should
choose a course that would not cause financial stress for their parents.
Contrarily, question number 3 received the lowest weighted mean with a
2.9, indicating that respondents disagreed that they choose a course based
on its tuition cost.

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 Table 6: Pearson’s Correlation between the respondents’ demographic
profile and factors that influence respondents in career decision-making.

Demographic Dependent Variable

Profile A B C D
Sex Pearson’s
r -0.04697 0.196811 0.023279 -0.02581

N 300 300 300 300

remarks Very low Very low Very low Very low
negative positive positive negative
Decision reject null reject null Reject null reject null
hypothesis hypothesis hypothesis hypothesis
Academi Pearson’s -0.09484 0.097748 -0.16591 0.042759
c r
Strand N 300 300 300 300
remarks Very low Very low Very low Very low
negative positive negative positive
Decision Reject null Reject null Reject null Reject null
hypothesis hypothesis hypothesis hypothesis
Socio Pearson’s
economic r 0.080044 -0.06844 0.10019 -0.03
Status
N 300 300 300
Remarks Very low Very low Very low Very low
positive negative positive negative
Decision Reject null Reject null Reject null Reject null
hypothesis hypothesis hypothesis hypothesis

The result, however, establishes a link between the respondents’

career decision-making and their sex, academic strand, and socioeconomic
status thereby rejecting the null hypothesis.

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 CONCLUSION

This study highlights that for a career decision taken by an individual,

there exist several influences. These influences are not mere influences;
they shape the future of society since career choice decisions even of a
single individual are very important for a society.

As stated by Quino (2022) “Student’s career choice is one of the most

significant obstacles that they faced during the academic career”. As
narrated in Table 2.1 the respondents strongly agree that they are selecting
a course depending on their own preferences. According to Bangayan
(2022), “Financial ability of the family to support the student should be a
primary consideration when deciding which course to enroll in”. In
accordance with the table 2.4 indicating that respondents believed that they
choose a course that would not cause financial stress for their parents. The
result revealed that young people considered future opportunities because
they believed in such a field of labor, particularly its employability, and
stability since it saw a snowball in the public. In accordance with Quino
(2022) “Students select the ones that fit them best and require labor” he
believed that young ones are aware of the rising unemployment rate in the
country, which gives them the confidence to seize the opportunity.

The researchers concluded that students' key choices are primarily

determined by career-related factors such as employment stability,
availability, and financial benefits. Students are more inclined to select
careers that would pave the way for a better and more secure future. The

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study focused on the significance of pay and future earning potential in
students' top selections. They discovered that money gain was the most
important factor. The most important consideration while choosing a career,
especially for financially responsible and self-sufficient students, is income.

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 RECOMMENDATION

1. Strengthened Career Guidance Program

To have a strengthened career guidance program, the school

administrators may encourage the parents to join the career guidance
program regarding their children’s career decision-making. Parents must
supervise their children in all aspects of their lives. Including career
decision-making. While parents can influence their children’s career
choices, teenagers must make their own decision.
2. School Simulation Activity
The school may incorporate a simulation activity for students in their
lesson plans that focuses on the various options available that can help in
deciding on a college career for them.

3. Student, Guardian, and Teacher’s Motivation

The teachers may initiate or engage to encourage the students to
put significance in participating in the career guidance program in their
school.
4. Commencement of Career Guidance Program
Based on the findings of the study, the researchers suggest that the
commencement of the Career Guidance Program may start during Grade
11 up to Grade 12 to ensure that the students are discreet upon selecting
a college career.

5. Increase the Number of School Staff

As observed by the researchers, the school may increase the number
of school staff to focus on implementing an efficient career guidance
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program.

6. For Future Researchers

The future researchers may use the research paper as their reference
and may consider expanding the relationship between each variable to
create new avenue of findings. They may also continue utilizing the basis of
this research study and may include having a larger number of respondents
to justify the perspective of each academic strand.

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 REFERENCES

Bangayan, L. M. (2022). Influential Factors Among Senior High School Students Career

Preferences: A Case of Private School. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(3),

5545–55515545–5551. https://www.journalppw.com/index.php/jpsp/article/view/3135

Lamichhane, S., Gurung, S. K., Chapagain, R., Baral, R. P., & Adhikari, S. (2022). Factors

Influencing Career Choice among Business Administration Students of Pokhara

University. The Batuk, 8(2), 14–31. https://doi.org/10.3126/batuk.v8i2.47011

Nelson, G. (2021, September 17). Major Problems College Students Face in Choosing a Career.

Www.ukcareersfair.com. https://www.ukcareersfair.com/news/major-problems-college-

students-face-in-choosing-a-career

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a Unifying Social Cognitive Theory of

Career and Academic Interest, Choice, and Performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior,

45(1), 79–122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

Quiño, J. (2022). Factors Influencing the Career Preference of Senior High School Students
during Pandemic. https://www.ijassjournal.com/2022/V5I3/414665426.pdf

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