Association between selected factors and career choice of Central Philippine University college students

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the association between selected factors and the career choice of Central Philippine University (CPU) fourth and fifth year college student for the second semester, 1998-99. This study made use of a one -shot survey method using the self-administered structured questionnaire. The population of the study were the fourth and fifth year college students of CPU for the second semester 1998-99 in the following courses: Agriculture, Health & Allied courses, Commerce and Information Technology, Education and AB courses, Engineering and Theology. The variables considered in this study were socio-demographic factors such as sex, residential location, type of school, father’s and mother’s educational attainment, father's and mother’s occupation, family income and source of influence; the academic factors such as the High School final average grade in English, Math and Sciences, average grade in English, Math, and Sciences for the first two years in college; and the interest tool subjects. The career motives of the students were also included as one of the variables under study. A total sample size of 297 out of 1,148 students were identified respondents of the study. The sample from every college was determined using the Proportionate Probability Sampling (PPS). A researcher made questionnaire duly validated by the panelist was used to gather data. Analysis and interpretation of the data were done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS for Windows Version 7.5. Hypotheses of the study The study attempted to test the hypotheses that: 1. career choice and career motive are significantly associated with sex, residential location, type of school graduated from, father’s educational attainment, mother’s educational attainment, father’s occupation, mother’s occupation, family income and source of influence. 2. career choice and career motive are associated with high school final average grade in English, Math and Science, the average grade in English, Math , and Science for the first two years in college and the interest tool subjects. 3. there is no significant association between career choice and career motives of the respondents. Major Findings Most of the CPU college students were female, and rural resident, and finished their basic education in public schools. Both parents of most students had obtained college education. The most common occupations of the students’ fathers were farming/fishing and the practice of a profession. The mothers of the majority, however, had no occupation at the time of the study. The working mothers were mostly professionals. The respondents median family income was PhP 15,000.00. In high school, students obtained better grades in English (85.47) than in Math and Science. The same pattern noted during their first two years in college. They were also more interested in English. The main motive of the students in choosing their respective career was interest in work and people. More male than female students in agriculture and engineering groups while more female than male enrolled in commerce and information technology, education and AB courses. On the other hand, there were more students in commerce and information technology, education and AB courses and theology who reside in the rural areas and had the privilege to study in the public elementary school. However, students enrolled in health & allied courses, engineering and agriculture had the opportunity to study in private high school. Both fathers and mothers of the students taking up agriculture, engineering and theology have attained college education. Moreover, the father of students in health and allied courses, and education and AB courses had a higher educational attainment than their mother. All academic factors were associated with the career choice of the CPU college students. Engineering students got the highest high school mean grade in the three subjects: English, Math, and Science. Education and AB courses students received the lowest mean grade in the said subjects. The highest mean average grade in English during the first two years in college was also received by the engineering students, Math by the health and allied courses and science by commerce students. The result further revealed that a higher proportion of students who showed interest in Sciences took up agriculture, health and allied courses and education and AB courses while students who preferred Math took up commerce and information technology and engineering while those interested in English enrolled in theology. The career motives of CPU college students were associated with their chosen career. Those students with a career motive of “interest in adventure and travel” chose agriculture as their course. Students who wanted “to serve God” in their chosen career, enrolled in health and allied courses and theology, while students who see their courses as a “greater chance of being employed’ selected commerce and information technology and engineering. Furthermore, students who wanted to “follow the footsteps of their parents” took up education and AB courses. A higher proportion of students who reside in the rural than in urban areas and finished their secondary education in public high schools showed “interest in work and people” and “to serve God’. Whereas, students from urban areas and had their secondary education in private schools had career motives of “greater chance of being employed”, with the “desire for adventure and travel” and to “follow the footsteps of their parents”. In addition, “interest in work and people” was the motive the students who personally chose their career and those who were influenced by their mothers. The brothers and sisters of the students influenced some students for a “greater chance of being employed” while students who were motivated by either their teacher, guidance counselor, pastor and peer group for an opportunity of “adventure and travel” and “to serve God.” The findings further reveal that regardless of their career motives, a higher proportion of respondents show a higher mean high school grade in English than in Science and Math. However, during the first two years in college only the average grade in English show a significant association with career motives of the respondents. Interest tool subjects were significantly associated with their career motives. Respondents who were interested in Science were motivated by their “interest in work and people” while those who show interest in Math had career motives of “greater chance of being employed”, for “adventure and travel”, and to “follow the footsteps of parents”. Respondents who were interested in English wanted “to serve God” as motive in their career decision. Conclusions Based from the findings, it can be concluded that: 1. There is a significant association between career choice and sex, type of elementary school graduated from, father’s educational attainment, mother’s educational attainment and mother’s occupation. On the other hand, career choice is not associated with residential location, type of high school graduated from, father’s occupation, family income and source of influence. 2. There is a significant association between career choice and High School final grade in English, Math and Science, average grade in English, Math and Sciences for the first two years in college and their interest in tool subject. 3. There is significant association between career choice and career motives as revealed in the obtained Cramer’s V. 4. There is a significant association between career motives and residential location, type of high school graduated from and source of influence however, there is no significant association between career motives and sex, type of elementary school graduated, father’s educational attainment, mother’s educational attainment, father’s occupation, mother’s occupation and family income. 5. There is a significant association between career motives and interest tool subjects, therefore, there is no association between career motives and high school final grade in English, Math and Science and average grade in English, Math and Sciences for the first two years in college. Recommendations In the light of the aforecited findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are hereby given. 1. Inasmuch as there is a significant association between career choice and type of elementary school graduated from, father’s and mother’s education and mother’s occupation, a. there is a need for parent to send their children to a school which has a good reputation of providing quality basic education because it has some bearing on the career choice of the individual. b. Since mother’s occupation had a bearing on the career choice of their children, mothers should spend more time with their children and communicate to them their plans as to the future of their children. 2. Since career choice is significantly associated with the final grades in high school and college English, Math and Science, there is therefore is a need for the students to develop interest on these tool subjects and have a good foundation on these subject areas. This can be done by providing remedial/tutorial classes or these subjects should be taught by understanding and competent teachers who can identify with the struggles of the students. 3. Since career choice is significantly associated with career motives, student should be more exposed to various occupational fields of their choice so that their motives would be more realistic. 4. Since residential location and type of high school graduated from are significantly associated with career motives, therefore, attendance in career fair or industry exposure, such as field trips or educational tour early in high school should be encouraged so that they will aspire for a better future realistically. 5. Since career motive is also associated with the interest tool subjects and source of influence, there is a need for significant others to encourage students in aspiring for better opportunities in their career through modeling and verbal encouragement. 6. Guidance workers should be aware of these findings so that they can be of great help in assisting college students choose the appropriate career right from the very start of their college education. 7. Parent-Teacher conference should be held to disseminate the findings of this study. 8. Replication of this study using another setting and set of variables should be considered.