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Title of Research

An assessment of factors influencing Career Decision Making – Outcomes of Technical

Vocational Education and Training in a selected High School.

Problem Statement

The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between guidance

and career counseling and career decision making choices of Technical Vocational
Education and training in a Technical Vocational Education and Training setting.
Based on information gleaned from the admission statistics of Vocational
Training Development Institute (VTDI) for the period 2003-2008, it is noted that a
low percentage of applicants were from traditional high schools. According to
Fosset, Dyke and Maringe (2008) career advice in schools is positively skewed
towards to career education only.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between
exposure to career counseling and career decision making choices of Technical
Vocational Education and training students of in selected high schools in Jamaica.

Significance of the Study

The research will also be beneficial to policy makers and curriculum writers
who could use the findings to guide and inform the revision of career education
curricula within the secondary education system. Teachers and Guidance/Career
Counselors could use the information to become more knowledgeable of students’
perception and behaviours regarding TVET as a career choice. This would enable
these education practitioners to implement strategies to guide students in making
sound career decisions. The study also seeks to contribute to the theory and
practice of exposure to career counselling.

Central Research Questions

To what extent does exposure to technical education at the secondary level affects the

career choice of students?

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Sub-questions

1. What is the impact of Career Counselling on students’ career choices?

2. s Career Decision Making in TVET influenced by Labour Market indicators

3. Why are students shying away from Technical Education?

Key terminologies

Perception

Career counseling

Labour market indicator s

Level of Exposure

Career choice

Factors

Conceptualization

Perception: process of which individuals interpret and organize data to produce meaningful
information

Career counseling: is an individual or group exploration and decision making task related to
choosing a major occupation or , transitions in the world of work facilitated by a trained
counselor/teacher/

Labour market indicator: provides a comprehensive measure of labour market performance

Career choice: is a decision taken by an individual as to guide their path to which work or
occupation they will pursue; act of selecting a vocation or career

Level of exposure: the act of providing information, subjecting someone to an influencing

experience

Urban: of or relating to a town or city

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Factors: are any circumstances, person, condition or influence that brings about a certain
effect.
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References

Duffy, R and Dick B (2009); Beyond the self! External Influences in career Development
Process. Career Development Quarterly, Vol 58.

Fossett A., Dyke, M and Maringe, F. (2008), The influence of the school in the decision to
participate in learning Post 16. British Educational Research Journal, Vol 34, No.1
February 2008.

Lauglo,Jon and MacLean Rupert. 2005 Vocationalization of secondary education Revised;

UNESCO-UNEVOC book series Vol 1 Dordrecht, New York Springer Science and
Business Media.