THE INFLUENCE OF THE ACADEMIC INTEREST ON CAREER CHOICES AND

ASPIRATION

A Research Title
Presented to the Grade 12 HUMSS-Parson
Tantangan National High School

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the
Inquiry, Investigation, and Immersion
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

The influence of career choices has a lasting impact on Individuals, making a career

choice is a crucial phase in every student's life. It is well known that good career planning

leads to life fulfillment. Students should consider several factors before arriving at a career

decision. The purpose of this research is to identify the factors which affect the choice of

career among students. This study investigated the influence of several factors such as

parental education, profession and income on the career decisions of students. The influence

of peers on the respondents' choice of subject specialization was also investigated along with

any impressions taken from the media.

Thus, it serves to be a predictor and determinant of their prospective level of income,

nature of work and consequently leaves a mark on the personality, demeanor and outlook of

an individual. Thus, one wrong decision can change the fate of an individual. It is difficult for

everyone to make a decision regarding their career. This individual action is manifested on a

larger scale in the economic prosperity of a nation. Individuals who are misfits in their

workplace tend to be less productive and efficient, and therefore are unable to achieve their

goals. The concept has been explained by Onyejiaku (as cited in Jones & Larke, 2005), who

defines occupation as a means of living, which has the power to change personalities,

determine social status, predict expected earnings, determine social groups etc.

Additionally, its importance cannot be undermined. Given its complexity, it is then a

point to ponder upon as to how career decisions are made. A crucial influence in decision

making regarding career is the home environment (James, 2000) as it lays the foundation of a
child's personality. It's the parent's upbringing which is the basis of the outcome of the

personality. The values of the parents are transferred into the child. Besides the home,

another major determinant of career choice is media. It provides exposure at the earliest

stage. Media highlights social travails, global issues, trends and fashions, portrays the glamor

of a culture, and the glitter of the consumer world.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore how academic interest in humanities

and social sciences subjects influences the career choices and aspirations of HUMSS track

students. By conducting in-depth interviews and analyzing the narratives of these students,

the study aims to identify the factors that shape their career aspirations, the role of academic

interests in shaping their career goals, and any barriers or challenges they face in pursuing

their desired careers.

Furthermore, The findings of this study can provide insights into how educators and

career counselors can better support HUMSS track students in achieving their career goals

and aspirations, knowing the factors that may influence students career track choices can be

helpful in the development of strategies that may help them make intelligent decisions.

In developing strategies that enable students to make good decisions, it may be helpful

to know the factors which might affect their career choices. Grade 11 (eleven) students were

analyzed using descriptive, and correspondence analyses to evaluate the variables related

with career track choice and the extent to which factors influenced it.

The results showed that the choice of SHS track and strand has a significant influence on

the chosen degree. The main influences have been identified as taste and parental influence.

Socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, age, birth order, number of siblings, and
monthly family income had a moderate relationship with the SHS track/strand choice. These

processes include gathering data and information that will enable humans to settle on formed

decisions for career choices.

Statement of the Problem

To guide this study, the following questions will be addressed:

1.What are the factors influencing career choices?

2.What are the potential problems in achieving the prospective career achieved among the

students?

3.How does academic performance affect students' career choice?

Significance of the studys

The findings of the study can directly benefit students at Tantangan national high

school by providing insights into how their Academic Interest in Humanities and Social

Sciences subjects influence their Career choices. This information can help school counselors

and educators at Tantangan National High School offer personalized guidance and support to

students in aligning their academic interest with their future career aspirations.

Additionally, in this study the students can contribute to the existing body of knowledge

on career development and education planning, particularly within the context of the Humss

track.

Theoretical Lens

This study is supported by the theory of John Holland's Theory of Career Choice, often

known as the Holland Codes or the RIASEC model, can be used to provide a theoretical

perspective on the impact of academic interest on the career choices and goals of HUMSS
(Humanities and Social Sciences) students. Holland's theory classifies people into six

personality types based on their interests, values, and skills, which can help them make job

decisions.

These theories and models will aid this investigation into the concept of career fit and

happiness for HUMSS track students. Educators and career counselors can provide targeted

guidance and assistance to HUMSS students by identifying their personality types using the

Holland Codes. This allows students to explore career alternatives that match their interests,

values, and skills. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and success for HUMSS

students as they pursue routes that are tailored to their unique talents and interests.

Delimitation and Limitation

The researchers conducted this study in the primary ground of Tantangan National High

School. The researchers garnered information through interviews and recorded their answers

for better transcription of the data, consisting of questions related to the topic. A total of

ten(10) respondents, all Humss strand students, are chosen by the researcher. Specifically,

five (3) respondents from HUMSS Turner and Collins and four(4) respondents from HUMSS

Homans.

Definition of Terms

a Students. They are learners or people who study from the senior high school level.

Academic Interest. Is your desired course of education. It can also be a specific area of

study or description.

Career Choice. The process of making choices regarding one`s career path in an

individual's life.
 Career. It is the job or profession for which one is trained and which one intends to

follow for the whole of one's life.

Aspiration. A strong desire to have to do something to achieve their goal someday.

Organization of the Study

To present this study well, the researcher will organize it accordingly based on the

concepts being presented in each chapter. There are five chapters organized for the readers to

easily grasp the objectives of this study.

Chapter 1 presents the background of the study, the purpose of the study, the research

questions, the significance of the study, the theoretical lens, its delimitations and limitations,

the different definitions of terms, and how the study will be organized.

Chapter 2 introduces the various related studies about the Academic interest on career

choices and aspiration. This will give readers further studies that influence and give related

insights about this study.

Chapter 3 is all about how the study will be done. It will present who is involved and how

the data will be analyzed and gathered from the participants. Selected students will be the

participants of this study, and with their cooperation, here in this chapter, the process will be

presented with confidentiality and trustworthiness of the gathered data as well as their

identities.

Chapter 4 presents the findings of the study, which will be structured logically to convey the

results of the analysis.

Chapter 5, which is the final chapter of this study, will feature the discussions and

conclusions based on the results of the study. It will formulate the documented result of the
gathered and analyzed data from the participants. These chapters will also discuss its

implications, comparing it to the existing literature and addressing any limitations or potential

areas for future research.

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter contains essential related literature including research, and other online

resources that provide significant and additional needed data for this study. And the aim is to

identify the different choices that students have but they still need to decide on the best career

they can pursue.

Career Choices

Career is an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with

opportunities for progress. Career has many different choices that students have but they still

need to decide the best career they can pursue. According to Sharf (2016) ”Career decision

making is a process that describes or explains the choices that a person makes when selecting a

particular career”. It also helps to identify different factors involved in a person’s career decision

making and provides an understanding of the way these factors have an impact on their career

decision and choices. On the other hand career choices is defined as an interdisciplinary

curriculum that engages students and teachers in an interactive learning process, helping them
develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to successfully examines their own lives

explore and evaluate a wide range of education and career options and make reasoned and

researched goals for their future.But still there are factors that you need to consider in choosing

your career. In the study of Wildman and Torres (2017), ”family and friends are considered to be

an influential part of the students choice of major. Parents with an agriculture background most

often have an impact on where students go to college. Family role models have more of an

influence on what students major in. There are many people in a students’ life who can influence

their career decision. Most of the time, parents and friends play a large role, but coaches and

teachers can also have a huge impact on a students’ life”. The study of George Crislan (2020)

that talks about economic stability says that” Many students believe that to live a comfortable

lifestyle they need to be economically stable”. When these students look into a major or a career

path,they seek out the higher salary jobs or they look for a major that involves the most job

security. According to Beggs, et.al (2008), Financial aspects that students consider includes high

earning potential, benefit and opportunities for advancement. According to Ferry (2006) further

asserts that adolescent occupational choice is influenced by many factors including the context,

personal aptitudes, and educational attainment. He contends further that whether college-bound or

work-bound, meeting the challenge of this development milestone is critical in adolescents' line.

Students all over the world usually fared with the tasks of career decision making. The choice of

careers, subjects and courses of study in school and of subsequent paths to follow are always

difficult problems facing perspectives under graduates. Often choosing the right subject

combination reading to the right profession can make the difference between enjoying and

discovering a career in the future. Dedicating oneself to career choices that are unattainable leads

to frustration. Each individual undertaking the process is influenced by many factors, including

the context in which they live their personal aptitudes, and educational attainment

(Bandusa,et.al,2019). According to Khare (2015) that role models influence adolescents' career

choice. ”If a student has a good teacher who makes an impression or a family member who is a
pharmacist or a carpenter she took up to, she may decide on the same career” and such factors

relate positively to desirable career development outcomes such as career decision. Duffy and

Dick (2009), as cited by Quinter (2011) and Perronet. Quinter (2011) that career decisiveness of

college students is influenced by the role model supportiveness and the qualities of relationship

they have. John L. Holland, as cited by Staunt (2015), claimed that both people's work

environment can be categorized and then matched to each other. Holland’s theory aims to

categorize people according to what type of work they are most interested in and then categorize

occupations under the same scheme to measure their congruence. In Holland’s words” people

tend to act on their dominant interest and seek occupations in which their interest can be

expressed. Leong (2015) gets at the heart of the matter with existing theories in his paper on

cultural accommodations and Asia which looks at universal elements which will be applicable

across all cultures such as job satisfaction. ”I am assuming that every human being seeks

satisfaction from his or her work; it is correlates, their meaning and sources of satisfaction, that

are likely to vary across cultures. ”It is:” based on the underlying premise that career choice is an

expression of one’s personality and similar histories.” (Swanson & Fraud 2017). Choosing the

right career is becoming more and more important for young students today (Fizer,2013) and

preference of the student on the career to take in the future is affected by other factors other than

skills and personalities they have (Pascual,2014). According to McQuiad and Bond, as cited by

Quinter (2011) that students' perception of being suitable for particular jobs also has been found

to be influenced by a number of factors including ethnic background, year in school, the level of

achievement, choice of science subjects, attitudes and differences in job characteristics. And

Quinter (2011) concluded that the availability of advancement opportunities and learning

experiences are the most influential factors affecting career choices. Furthermore, he contended

that the learning experiences and career flexibility influenced most males in their career choice

while for the females are the availability of advancement opportunities and opportunity to apply

skills Family and friends are considered to be an influential part of a student's career choice.
Family role models have more of an influence on what students major in (Wildman and Torres,

2002). Most of the time, parents and friends play a large role but coaches and teachers can also

have a huge impact on a students’ life (Wildman and Torres,2002).

Three main traits characterize the current concept of career development interventions in the post-

modern era. First career interventions are conceived as being applied over the life span

(Super,1980). Second career development process is viewed as including all the transitions that

an individual experiences: school, job ,and personal (Schlossberg,1984).Third clients are

considered to be actors in their own career development. In the course of choices of course to

read in the Senior Secondary Schools and universities, a lot of influencing actions or decisions.

These general determinants of their choices at this crucial. Proceeds in influences,peer

groups,intellectual ability,financial background,goal of life,come into play varying degrees of

weight on them.There are many problems which directly or indirectly influence the Senior

Secondary School.

Three main traits characterize the current concept of career development interventions in the

postmodern era. First career interventions are conceived as being applied over the life span

(Super,1980).Second career development process is viewed as including all the transitions that an

individual experiences :school,job ,and personal (Schlossberg,1984). Third, clients are considered

to be actors in their own career development. In the course of choices of course to read in the

Senior Secondary Schools and universities, a lot of influencing actions or decisions.These general

determinants of their choices at this crucial.Proceeds in influences,peer groups,intellectual

ability,financial background,goal of life,come into play varying degrees of weight on them.There

are many problems which directly or indirectly influence the Senior Secondary School. To enable

studies make good decisions and this ease problem of jobs and skills mismatch, the Department

of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region 6 recently conducted orientations for guidance

counselors on the new Standards Manual entitled;Career Guide for High School Students and

Employment Guide for College Students and Jobseeker aimed at enhancing their capability on
Career and Employment coaching. The National Careers Service (NCS) built on the previous

Next Step and Careers Advice Service, and launched in 2012 to provide high quality careers

information and independent professional advice and guidance (BIS, 2012). It is a comprehensive

resource on advice and guidance material, apprenticeships, higher education programmes,

learning and funding opportunities that while focused mainly on adults, is also open to young

people. The service is accessible through a multitude of channels including advice centers,

Jobcentre Plus, libraries, housing associations, further education colleges, online, via telephone

and mobile as well as online chat. Careers support for adults in England is also delivered by

private and voluntary sector organizations. Private sector career consultants, employers,

recruitment companies, voluntary and community sector organizations, training and learning

providers also offer individuals career support. Other publicly-funded advisers, such as those in

Jobcentre Plus, and informal support from family, friends and colleagues have also been

identified as sources of careers advice in a recent evidence review (UKCES, 2011). The 2010

National Adult Learner Survey (NALS) asked individuals seeking information and advice in

relation to learning which sources they used. Employers were the most common sources of IAG

for formal and non-formal courses (reported by 40 percent of learners), followed by family and

friends (20 percent) and educational institutions (15 percent).

Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

Research design

In this chapter, the researcher will focus on the methodology used to conduct the study.

It will outline the research methodology employed to investigate the influence of academic
interest on career choices and aspiration among the students of Tantangan National High

School.

Role of the Research

We, the researcher, will conduct the study and actively engage with the process of

gathering the needed information for this study. We will conduct an in-depth interview with

the participants of this study. I will ask permission to record our conversation for better

gathering of data and will transcribe it accordingly. And will collaboratively work together

for this study.

We will carefully interpret the gathered data and make sure that the result will

contribute to the body of knowledge for future references of the teachers and future

researchers.

Research Participants

The participants of this study will be ten (10) Grade eleven (11) HUMSS students and

ten (10) focus group discussions who facilitated the intervention program conducted among

the students of Tantangan national highschool.

They will be respectfully asked for their approval to participate in conducting this

study. Upon agreeing to be the researcher’s sources of information for this study, there is an

assurance from the researcher that all of the data gathered will be shared openly while hiding

their identity for security purposes.

There will be ten (10) Grade eleven(11) HUMSS students of Tantangan National
High School who facilitated the influence of academic interest on career choices and
aspirations, as the participants of this study that will undergo to an in-depth-interviews which
will be recorded with their permission to gather the needed information accurately.
Data Collection

In-depth-interviews, a qualitative research method, will be conducted with selected

ten(10) students of Tantangan National High School participants to gather information .

Interviews will be conducted in a private and confidential setting, fostering an

atmosphere conducive to open communication. Active listening to encourage participants to

share their experiences openly and candidly (Seidman, 2013). Each interview is anticipated to

last approximately 30-45 minutes.

With the parents’ consent, interviews will be audio-recorded to capture the richness of

their narratives accurately. Transcription services will be utilized to convert spoken words

into written text, facilitating a detailed analysis of the interview data (Fontana & Frey,

2005).

This in-depth interview approach, rooted in qualitative research methodologies, aims

to generate rich, contextually embedded data that will contribute to a comprehensive

understanding of the conduct and impact of career choices in their academic interest at

Tantangan National High School.

Data Analysis

The researcher will carefully study the gathered data from the interviews. This is to learn

what the participants think about reading intervention at Tantangan National High School.

This part explains how to analyze data. It focuses on a careful method for understanding and

making sense of the narratives expressed and shared by the participants the researcher

interviewed in an organized way.

(2006), it will be employed to identify, analyze, and report patterns (themes) within the

qualitative data. Thematic analysis provides a flexible yet systematic approach to explore rich

and detailed textual information, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the

participants' experiences.

Next will be the coding process. The coding process will begin with open coding, where

initial codes will be assigned to segments of the interview transcripts. This phase involves a

line-by-line examination of the data to identify patterns and concepts. Codes will be

generated inductively from the data itself, capturing the essence of participants' experiences

(Saldaña, 2016).

Third process will be Refining and Defining Themes. Themes will be refined through an

iterative process of constant comparison. The researcher will continually compare data within

and across interviews to ensure the coherence and distinctiveness of themes. Clear definitions

and boundaries for each theme will be established, enhancing the reliability and validity of

the analysis (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014). Fourth step will be Interpretation and

Contextualization. The interpretation will involve considering the context of Tantangan

National High School, acknowledging the different experiences of the participants from the

analyzed data they shared. Contextualization has a pivotal role for providing an

understanding on how reading interventions are being conducted and experienced within this

specific setting.

Lastly, the presentation of findings which will be presented in a narrative format,

utilizing direct quotes from participants to illustrate key themes. This reporting style

enhances the transparency and authenticity of the research, allowing readers to connect

directly with the participants' voices and experiences (Creswell & Creswell, 2017).
Ethical Considerations

Our work choices have an impact not only on our personal life, but also on the rest of the

globe. Even though an increasing number of people have the freedom to choose their job, few

consider the ethical consequences of their choices. Honesty and integrity are essential

components of any successful professional practice. Doing the right thing is critical to a long

and successful career.

The Value of Ethics in Career Choice: Ethical issues are crucial when choosing a

vocation since they affect individuals and society as a whole. The following list of factors

demonstrates how crucial ethical considerations are while choosing a vocation.

Personal Satisfaction: A career that aligns with your moral standards and ethical

objectives may enhance your sense of pleasure and Personal fulfillment. It enables you to

pursue a job that aligns with your values, resulting in a more fulfilled and meaningful life.

Honesty and Sincerity: Choosing an ethical career allows them to be authentic to

themselves. When your job aligns with your values, you are more likely to conduct ethically

and consistently, as well as avoid circumstances when you feel misled or compromised.

Favorable Effect: A common goal of ethical careers is to positively impact society, the

environment, or special causes. Working in such roles allows you to directly address vital

issues like social justice, public health, and environmental sustainability.

Prolonged Satisfaction: Careers founded on moral beliefs are more likely to bring long-

term satisfaction. Burnout and detachment When your values are reflected in your job, these

incidents are less likely to occur. In the long term, this could help you develop a successful

career.
 Improved Emotional and Mental Health: Pursuing an ethical career can improve

mental and emotional health. You will face fewer stressful ethical challenges and moral

discomfort. Making moral decisions at work can improve one's overall quality of life.

Better Recognition: Making ethical decisions can help you succeed and develop in your

career. Making ethical decisions on the job is related with higher respect and trust from

supervisors, coworkers, and clients, resulting in greater recognition.

Attract Companies with Similar Values: Companies that support an individual's

principles are more likely to recruit them. To build a more cohesive and values-driven

workplace culture, many companies prioritize employing people who share their ethical

convictions.

Leadership with Integrity: Moral leadership can stem from ethical job choices. Those

that prioritize ethics in the workplace create an example for others to follow, sparking reform

inside their organizations.

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