Career choice determinants among senior high school students in the Sunyani west district in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana

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