Assessing the Interest and Skill based Career Choice among the Higher Secondary Students in Coimbatore

Assessing the Interest and Skill based Career Choice among the Higher education Student

Ms.P.Selvapranambika

Research scholar (Ph.D. fulltime)

Department of Extension and Career Guidance

Bharathiar University

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-641046.

&

Prof.A.Vimala

Guide and Head of the Department

Department of Extension and Career Guidance

Bharathiar University

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-641046.

Abstract

Purpose of the Research: Interest and skill place major element in career growth of students and it is a lifelong process. Skill explains about the learned ability to become an expertise in one field, Career Interest explains about the preference and interest about the student choice of career an effective guidance can be given to the student after assessing the interest and skill of the student. The current research aims at finding the interest and skills-based career choice of higher secondary students. The results found that majority of the students opined that they need guidance in school level after assessing their interest and skill level. Methodology: This study is a descriptive and exploratory in nature and includes oral interview method and questionnaire as tools for data collection. Findings: From the findings and discussion, the major result found that, among the respondents of government and private school, 84.3% of them were not received any career guidance in school level, 60.4% of the students stated that they want to select their career based on their Interest and skills ,90% of them were opined they are in need of career guidance in the school level.Implications: This would bring long-term benefits in terms of systemic changes amongst students in improving career choices. It would also help the government to formulate policy and implementation for bringing structural changes in the system. Originality: This study succeeds in finding the skills and interest important factor in their professional and personal growth.

            Introduction

Interest and skill place major element in career growth of students and it is a lifelong process, Self-assessment is necessary to understand one’s capabilities and drawbacks. The various career opportunities should be explored in details to find a fit between one’s abilities and the opportunities provided by a career option. A good career planning helps a person grow in life in their professional career, which also help them grow personally. The right career choice for the students entering into the professional education is critical having high impact on their professional life and future achievement. A miss-perceived career choice directs all individual efforts and resources into wrong direction, when not aligned with the expectations; would not only be frustrating rather draining of the individual energy and wastage of resources.

According to UNICEF (2019) only 47 percent of Indian school graduates by 2030 will have the basic skills to be employable. It also mentioned low quality of education and suboptimal vocational training which do not give students the desired skill levels which was demanded by the labour which is identified as major skill gap. The skill gap plays major element between the education and labour market.

 Literature support

Clement H (2014) investigated one of the major factors is the mismatch of personality with a course/career. In the process of making career choices, personality plays a significant role; productivity, fulfillment and motivation are directly related to the individual. Lack of fit can be the most dangerous cause of dissatisfaction and ends up in to the stress career failure.

Rebecca J. et al (2016) conducted a study on 399 students in Kenya which resulted in that there is a relationship between personality types, and career choice. Most of the students were satisfied with the course they selected before entering the university which indicates that suitable career choice for students would improve satisfaction and success in their course of study and future employment.

Life Rachel Valles (2012) that the adolescent students are faced with many aspects of purpose such as career, relationships, personal development, social service, and money-related. The knowledge, skills and attitudes that evolve along the path of discovery of their purpose, enables students to plan and decide, making choices not only about career and employment but also about personal management and contribution towards society.

Research Methodology

This study is a descriptive and random sampling method was adopted for the selection of respondents. The research was carried out in students of higher secondary schools in private and govt in Coimbatore. A structured questionnaire was administered among the sample respondent of 127 students to know their nature of career choice and factors influencing for career selection. Random sampling method were adopted for selecting the respondents. The secondary data were collected from the various journals, articles, newspapers, books, and websites.

Objectives

This research article focuses on the following objectives to understand the higher secondary students career planning

• To assess the demographic profile among the students of higher secondary school
• To understand the factors affecting career choice among the students of higher secondary school
• To assess the skill and interest-based selection of career among the higher secondary school
• To find the knowledge on career information among respondents

Findings and Analysis

The collected data has been tabulated and analysed with applying necessary statistical tool to arrive the result for the framed objectives

Respondent’s biographical details found

54.2% of them were female among the total respondents, 75% of parents working as a daily wage in government school students ,43.3% of parents were doing business among the respondents of private school, 46.4% of parents were 10^th qualified and same represented as illiterate in the government school.

Career Interest of Higher Secondary school students

39.75% of students interested to take any arts and science field who is studying at government and in Private school, 45.1 % of students were opined that the financial crisis is the most important factors for selecting the desired career.

Career interest based on interest and skill

72.4% of the students were opined that they were not identified their skills and abilities and 61.8% of the students opined that no one is helping to identify their skills.78.2% of the students stated that they were not familiar about the career growth of the next level courses. 84.3% of the respondents reveals that they did not get any career related event in the school level. 60.4% of the students stated that they want to select their career based on their Interest and skills. 90% of them were opined they are in need of career guidance in the school level.

Subject wise skill analysis

On an average 68.3 % from government and private school students reported they have reading and writing skill in English, on an average 58.4 % from both government and private school students reported they can do Mathematics in moderate level, on an average 45.6% from both government and private school students reported that they can do logical and aptitude test. On an average 66.2% were reported that they are good at tamil language.

Career knowledge among school students

Only 22.8 % of the students mentioned that they have the knowledge of procedure and details to select the college and course, 60% of students mentioned that they have decided their choice of course after the completion of 12^th.

Recommendations

From the findings and discussion, the major result found that, among the respondents of government and private school, 84.3% of them were not received any career guidance in school level and 60.4% of the students stated that they want to select their career based on their Interest and skills ,90% of them were opined they are in need of career guidance in the school level, it is recommended that,

• Every school has to offer early career guidance to the students for their better understanding before the selection of course
• The schools and colleges have to organize a career fair at least two times in a year to the students, which will make the students familiar on various courses and job opportunities for their next level career preparation.
• Capacity building program on career guidance and to assess the interest and skills of the school students to be offered to the school teachers to serve them to certain extent on student guidance.

References

• https://ibimapublishing.com/articles/JSAR/2017/718849/Miracle Ifeoma Mbagwu et al (2016).  Influence of parents educational background on career choice of teenagers among senior secondary school students in Owerri. Edorium Journal of Psychology, Vol2, 2016, 14-20.
• https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1089785.pdf
• http://www.iaclp.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/6_Valles_IJCLP_11.238192305.pdf

Table 1:

Table 2 :