Abstract:
The main thrust of this study was to find out the determinants of career choice
among Senior High School students in the Sunyani West District in the Brong
Ahafo Region, Ghana. Descriptive survey design involving the quantitative
approach was used for the study. A sample size of 297 (with 96% return rate of
285) students were selected for the study using a multistage sampling procedure.
A self-developed questionnaire was used for data collection. Pre-testing of the
instrument were done and reliability and validity were ensured. The data
collected were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and
percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (Linear
Multiple Regression, independent samples t-test, and one-way analysis of
variance- ANOVA). It was established that, generally, some school, parent,
teacher and student factors influence the choice of career among Senior High
School students in the Sunyani West District in the Brong Ahafo Region. The
results further show that all the factors influence career choice, their influences
varied in degree. The school factors were found to be exert major influence.
Furthermore, it was evident that the mean differences (between male and female
students) in career choice were not significant. Finally, no significant difference
existed among the age range of the students with respect to the factors that
influence their career choice. It was recommended that career guidance should
be inculcated in the school curriculum so that right from the start (at the early
stages) students would be aware and know the kind of career to choose
