EFFECT OF GROUP VOCATIONAL COUNSELING ON THE CHOICE OF CAREER AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. Background of the Study

Vocational counseling is often used interchangeably with career counseling (Career Guidance or Career Education) even though the two terms do not necessarily mean the same thing. Vocational counseling, an offshoot of vocational guidance movement, was the earlier term in use to describe information-giving and directive job counseling. With developing of innovative theories of vocational choice, however, the scope of vocational counseling soon become widened to include not only information-giving but also planning and making decisions about occupations and education. Group vocational counseling touches upon the clients, “road life” role activities. It is not merely giving information on occupations as was originally conceived with the use of the term “Vocational Guidance” rather Career Counseling Interventions have ramifications in other areas of life functions. Gibson, (Michel and Higglins, 2012) identifies that the use of the term “Career Guidance is to suggest the occurrence of certain experiences and understanding across the various life stages which have implications for building appropriate foundation for career planning and decision-making. School Guidance Programs which fails to profile youth with information or basic knowledge and opportunity for learning about their environment and themselves short-change youth, (Shertzer and Stone 2010). Group vocational counseling comprises not only information about occupations but also several other factors about individuals all of which play very vital roles in career decision making and choice. An important feature of vocational counseling is the fact that it incorporates all the different aspects of Counseling and Guidance including the group approach, the information-giving services, the interaction between counselor and client, evaluation and appraisal function, that is, vocational counseling is very much like other types of guidance and this is why it is being described as a unified approach (Belkin, 2010). The term Educational and Vocational counseling which is currently being subsumed under Career Guidance is used to describe specialized types of counseling applications designed to provide information and psychological assistance which may directly affect the decision and choice the client is about to make with respect to schooling immediate employment and future job directions. Information and factual data are still very significant and even more in Career Guidance than in Personal Guidance (Tolbert, 2013). This nature of Career Guidance makes it inseparable from other types of Guidance (Educational and Personal) Achebe (2013), for instance, noted that help given to students to choose their subjects and adjust to school life, Educational Guidance, is closely related to personal and vocational adjustment. Belkin (2010) noted that it is usually not possible to help someone with a vocational problem without recognizing such other aspects of his life as students, conflicts and relations which others. Super and Bohn (1990) noted that career is the sequence of occupations, job positions engaged in or occupied throughout the life time of a person. In the same vein, (Mathewson, 2010) also observed that group Vocational counseling not only involves Educational Guidance but also personal motivations and values as well as behavior disposition. No doubt, long standing personal problems will militate against high educational achievement which in turn will determine the range of occupations an individual may enter, (Jaskson and Jumper, 2014). The definitions of the two generic terms of career and occupations not only help to distinguish between the two terms but further help to appreciate the wider scope of Career Guidance. A career as defined by Isaacson (2008) is the way in which the individual expresses himself and related to society through work. With these definitions clearly show that career is the totality of one’s experiences in the world of work (Makinde and Alao, 2007). This further goes to explain why studies on career normally focus on cumulative experiences of workers in their life-long involvement with work. This is not so with occupation which according to Shartle (2014) is a term used to refer to a group of similar jobs in various establishments. One other feature of Career Guidance which we need to consider in respect of the scope of the subject matter is the totality of the functions which a Vocational or Career Counselor is called upon to perform in a career counseling process. Hence the study examines the effect of group vocational counseling o the choice of career among secondary school students.

1. 1. Statement of Problem

The high rate of unemployment and underemployment among school leavers in Nigeria is a serious issue for concern. It is contended that one of the contributing factors of unemployment cum under employment among school leavers in the country could be inadequate or lack of vocational counseling to students while in and out of school. In other words they are not given sufficient and relevant vocational or occupational information that will enable them graduate from school to a suitable occupation. It is through a graduates occupation that he/she is expected to serve the country, contribute and at the same time benefit from economic growth and national development. In a case where is not properly guided on career decision making by a professional guidance counselor; it would not be possible for such individual to contribute to economic and national development after graduation. Considering the centrality of the problems of vocational counseling, a viable program of career counseling would really help the students to develop an awareness of themselves in relation to the world of work through unbiased career information. It is against this backdrop that the study examines the effect of group vocational counseling on the choice of career among secondary school students.

1. 1. Objectives of the Study

The major aim of the study is to examine effect of group vocational counseling on the choice of career among secondary school students. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. To examine the pattern of career choice among secondary school students in Damaturu Yobe State.
2. To determine the effect of group vocational counseling on the choice of career among secondary school students.
3. To determine whether the effect of group vocational counseling on career choice differs among secondary school students in Damaturu Yobe State.
4. To determine whether the effect of group vocational counseling on career choice of the secondary school students in Damaturu differs according to class level.
5. To determine whether the effect of group vocational counseling on career choice of the secondary school students in Damaturu differs according to subject specialization.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the pattern of career choice among secondary school students in Damaturu Yobe State?
2. What is the effect of group vocational counseling on the choice of career among secondary school students?
3. Does the effect of group vocational counseling on career choice differs among secondary school students in Damaturu Yobe State?
4. Does the effect of group vocational counseling on career choice of the secondary school students in Damaturu differs according to class level?
5. Does the effect of group vocational counseling on career choice of the secondary school students in Damaturu differs according to subject specialization?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Hypothesis 1

H0: There are is no significant effect of group vocational counseling on the choice of career among secondary school students.

H1: There is a significant effect of group vocational counseling on the choice of career among secondary school students.

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no significant relationship between group vocational counseling and choice of career among secondary school students.

H1: There is a significant relationship between group vocational counseling and choice of career among secondary school students.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study will be of profound benefits to enlighten the school managements on the need for group vocational counseling and its effect on the choice of career among secondary schools students. The study will enable the Counselor when career counseling is given to the students coupled with the experience they gain, which will help to modify their perception about certain jobs leading to a change of their occupational aspirations. The study will help to educate psychologist and ministry of education on the need for providing a group vocational counselor for effective choice of career among secondary school students. It will assist the ministry to review and reform school policies so that vocational counseling can be fully implemented in all the secondary schools in Damaturu. This study would also be of immense benefit to students and scholars who are interested in developing further studies on the subject matter.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is restricted to effect of group vocational counseling on the choice of career among secondary school students in Damaturu, Yobe State.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Students: In this study, it refers to those individual who are officially admitted and registered in the secondary and non- secondary school system as a full time candidates. Considering group vocational counseling and career choice, students are those admitted into secondary schools in Damaturu, Yobe State.

Career: is a series of job that a person has in a particular area of work, usually involving more responsibilities as time passes. In this study, career is a vocation choice of secondary school students in Damaturu, Yobe State.

Career Choice: The broad opportunities that exist for lifelong vocations among secondary school students in Damaturu. These vocations are set out in a framework of strategies moving toward personal goals.

Vocation: The feeling of wanting to do special work by secondary school students to help others. The job which we do because we think we have a special fitness or ability to give service to other people.