Factors influencing career choice among senior high school students in the Nkoranza South District, Ghana

Abstract

The research was set out to investigate factors that influence career choice among the senior high school students in the Nkoranza South District of Bono East Region, Ghana, and the extent to which those factors influence students’ choice. Survey design was used. The main instrument used for data collection was questionnaire. Simple random sample techniques were used to select 78 students from three public second cycle institutions in the district. Descriptive statistics was used in analysing data. The results show that, there are no laid down steps students follow in making career decisions and students don’t attend any career workshop in selecting their desire careers. Parents sometimes aid their wards in selecting the course of study when they go to the senior high schools hence, deciding what they should become in future. Government policies sometimes also affect career choice of students especially when the government becomes the sole medium of employment. It was recommended that Career Education and Guidance should be introduced in the primary school to enable children to explore the world of work as young people need to make a smooth transition from primary school to the initial years of senior high school and the Ministry of Education should allocate funds for a Guidance and Counselling activities in all basic and second cycle schools. It is also prudent for the District Educational Offices to organise career workshops to aid the students in the quest to make career selection.