Factors Influencing Career Choice among

Grade 12 GAS Plain students

 Chapter I

The Problem and Its Scope

This chapter contains the Background of the Study, Research Questions, Research Hypotheses, Scope
and Delimitation of the study, Rationale of the Study, and Definition of Terms.

Background of the Study

Deciding on which career to pursue is a vital process in the lives of Senior High School students. It is in
this period when they have to decide on what major to take in college. Choosing the right path is the most
essential and critical decision an individual has to make for it will affect how they will live for the rest of their
lives. Hence, one wrong decision can lead to job mismatch. It is stated in the study of Kazi and Akhlaq (2017)
that individuals who are a misfit in their workplace tend to be less productive and efficient, and are, therefore,
unable to achieve their goals. According to Phillips (1986), the greatest barrier among students' career choice is
the lack of in-depth knowledge of the said career. It indicates that when choosing a certain course in college,
one must have an in-depth knowledge for if not, it could become the reason of misfit. Besides, knowledge is
required to make well-founded career preferences. As for the researchers, it is important for a Senior High
School student to decide wholeheartedly the course that they will take in college for it will determine the career
that they will be having after they graduate.

According to Cambridge advanced learner's dictionary (2005), career refers to job or series of job that
you do during your working life. Geciki (2002) defined career as the occupational, commercial, or industrial
activity that a person adopts during his educational life or till death. Furthermore, Redman and Wilkinson
(2001) stated that career is the application of a person's cognition and capabilities, timely work expertise, and is
a basis of developing and improving business networks. Therefore, choosing a career means choosing a life job.
When a student chooses a career, this student must choose the college course to take that is linked to the career
that he/she chooses.

According to Gaffner and Hazler (2002), between 20 and 60 percent of students are uncertain in regard
to future career choices. In choosing a college course linked to the career that a student will have after
graduating, there are several factors that this student has to consider. Every person undertaking the procedure of
choosing a college course for a career is influenced by many factors, the context they live in, personal aptitudes
and educational skills (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, &Pastorelli, 2001). In order to guide students, there
must be a better understanding on the factors contributing to career related decisions.

According to the article authored by Sam Woolfe (2018), gender differences influence career decisions.
Gender refers to the social roles, behavior, activities, and attributes that we consider appropriate for men and
women. People tend to categorize some particular careers as "for men only" or "for women only". Men are
expected to work as police and military officers while women are known to have jobs like nurses and teachers.
This goes to show that career choice may be limited by gender biases. The viewed gender bias in career
opportunities may block students from choosing preferable course (Wesarat, Sharif, & Majid, 2016). Moreover,
perceived gender roles could affect career decision-making among individuals.

According to Ozen (2011), choices that people make related to their career can be influenced by a social
factor. Social factors are part of an individual's social bonds, their family, peers, and other characteristics of the
society. In the study conducted by Ausman et al. (2013) on social factor influencing career choice in a medical
schoolin the United Arab Emirates, results revealed that among the factors influencing career choice, 38.8% of
the 129 respondents view family and social factor as having the strongest influence towards career decision-
making.

In the study conducted by Abrahams et al. (2015), results revealed that financial factors impact the
career choices of students. Ahmed, Sharif, and Ahmad (2017), stated that individuals facing financial
constraints hamper their decision-making process of career selection. Furthermore, the results of their study
which was conducted on 721 students revealed that predicted future benefits from the career including chances
for higher future earnings and promotions were factors that influence career choice amongst these students in
South Africa. Research studies show how students look for a career with high wages and therefore choose the
most relevant major in their undergraduate studies (Fizer, 2013). Azizzadeh et al (2003) studies found that
future job opportunities are considered in choosing a career.In addition, Kerka (2000) claims that financial
resources significantly interfereon an individuals' decision-making process in career selection. Ushurhe (2014)
indicated that limited finances available to students will affect them negatively in their preferences in selecting a
profession.

Darren Fizer (2013) revealed that some students found themselves lacking the intellectual abilities and
skills required for a certain course. With that being the case, they want to ease their lives by avoiding the
involvement in fields that require extensive hard work. TanujaAgarwala (2008) indicated that the expertise,
competencies, and capabilities of students are considered in career decision-making.

According to Edward and Quinter (2012), an individual's liking towards a particular field, it's
predilection to a certain job that is matched to its personality is an essential factor contributing to a career path.
In the process of making career choices, personality plays a major role for it correlates to the productivity,
fulfillment, and motivation of an individual. A mismatch between personality and career can be the cause of
dissatisfaction and would end up in stress career failure. Rebecca J et al. (2016) conducted a study on 399
students in Kenya where results revealed that there is a relationship between personality and career choice.
Humayon, Raza, Khan, and Ansari (2018) stated that in choosing a career, personal interest should be
considered for it will help people do better in the fields that interest them, and people could get greater
satisfaction and happiness when working.

The Department of Education, through the Bureau of Education Assessment administer the National
Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) to all Grade 9 students in public and private schools in the Philippines
pursuant to the DepEd order (DO) No. 55 s. 2016 (Department of Education, 2018). According to Lissabeth
Ross (2019), NCAE measures the general scholastic knowledge, vocational aptitude, occupational preferences
and entrepreneurial skills of the students. It helps students determine the course to take in college and what
career they are best suited for. With regards to this, the researchers want to know if the Grade 12 GAS-Plain
students consider their NCAE results in choosing the career to pursue.

The need to bring to light the factors influencing the career choice among the Grade 12 GAS-Plain
students of PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (Puerto Campus) prompted the researchers to conduct this study.
Research Questions

The study aims to determine the factors that influence career choice among Grade 12 GAS-Plain
students of PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (Puerto Campus).

This study aims to answer the following questions:

1. Which among the factors (gender, social, financial, intellectual, personal, NCAE result) has the most
and the least significant influence to the career choice of the Grade 12 GAS-Plain students?
2. What are the common career choices among the Grade 12 GAS-Plain students of PHINMA Cagayan de
Oro College (Puerto Campus)?
3. In choosing a career, what degree of importance is the most chosen in the following factor:
A. Gender?
B. Social?
C. Financial?
D. Intellectualcapability/skill?
E. Personal?
F. NCAE result?

Research Hypotheses

The following are the hypothetical answers for the research questions formulated:

1. The factor that has the most significant influence to the career choice of the Grade 12 GAS-Plain
students is the personal factor while the factor that has the least significant influence to the career choice
of the students is gender.
2. The common career choice of the students is linked with courses that deals with science and
mathematics.
3. The following are the hypothesized degree of importance of each of the factor that influence career
choice…
A. Using the Likert scale, the degree of importance that students chose the most with regards to gender
as a factor is slightly important.
B. Using the Likert scale, the degree of importance that students chose the most with regards to social
factor is moderately important.
C. Using the Likert scale, the degree of importance that students chose the most with regards to
financial factor is very important.
D. Using the Likert scale, the degree of importance that students chose the most with regards to
intellectual capability/skill as a factor is important.
 E. Using the Likert scale, the degree of importance that students chose the most with regards to
personal factor is very important.
F. Using the Likert scale, the degree of importance that students chose the most with regards to NCAE
result is slightly important.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The subject of the study are the chosen Grade 12 GAS-Plain students of PHINMA Cagayan de Oro
College (Puerto Campus). The survey questionnaires will be handed out to each chosen Grade 12 GAS-Plain
students inside their respective classrooms. The main variables are the factors namely gender, social, financial,
intellectual,personal, and NCAE result (Independent) to be measured using a Likert scale survey questionnaire
and the career choice (dependent).

The researchers have chosen the Grade 12 GAS-Plain students because they are the ones who are still
undecided of what course to take in college, but they have to decide already because they will be graduating and
will eventually enter college. To avoid biased results, the researchers will use the random sampling method to
be able to gather enough data for the study. To avoid disturbing other subjects of the students, the researchers
identified the most convenient time to hand out the survey questionnaire which is during the Student's Success
Program (SSP) schedule.

Rationale of the study

This study can be beneficial for it is relevant and will serve as a guide for every individual. This study
will give benefits to the following:

Grade 12 GAS Plain Students. This study is very helpful for students who are undecided or uncertain yet of
what course that is linked to certain career to pursue in college for this study tackles about the factors that they
need to look at and consider. Furthermore, this is very beneficial for them because they will be graduating and
soon they will enter college so they must beforehand consider and weigh the factors that will influence their
career decision-making.

Future Researchers. This study will serve as a guide and a reference to the study that they will be conducting
that is in the same field or topic. Furthermore, they may also get ideas and information from this study that is
relevant to their current study.
Definition of Terms

The following are the list of terminologies and their operational meaning.

1. Career choice- This refers to the course that the Grade 12 GAS-Plain students choose to take when they
enter college.
2. Gender- This refers to how Grade 12 GAS-Plain students consider gender roles of a man and a woman
in choosing a course to pursue in college.
3. Social factor- These are the family, the peers, and any individual that has an impact or influence to
career decision-making of the Grade 12 GAS-Plain student.
4. Financial/Economic Factors- This refers to the affordability of the course that the grade 12 wants to
take in college, the income of the parent, guardian, or provider of the student which indicates whether
they can afford a particular course or not, and the demand and the wage of a particular course that a
student wants to attain in the future.
5. Intellectual capabilities/skills-This refers to the knowledge and skills that a Grade 12 student possess
about a certain career. Furthermore, this refers to the required knowledge and skill of the Grade 12
student in order to meet the standard of a particular career.
6. Personal factor-This refers to the preferences, the dream, and the interests of a Grade 12 student that
pushes him/her to choose a particular course in college.
7. NCAE result- This refers to the result of the National Career Assessment Examination that a Grade 12
Student took back when they were in Grade 9 that may or may not be considered by the student in
choosing a course in college.
8. College Major- refers to the group of courses required by a college to receive a degree in line with a
particular career that a Grade 12 student chooses to pursue.
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