Exploring the relationships between school year, gender, and career choice, career decidedness, career needs, and career decision self-efficacy in adolescents

Abstract

Gender imbalance in the number of males entering the primary school teaching profession is reported by the Department of Education, researchers and the media as becoming increasingly an issue. The purpose of this study was to examine student responses to some of the processes involved in adolescent career decision making. A correlational independent-samples design measuring career decision self-efficacy, career decision needs, career decidedness and career choices was conducted on a sample of 120 secondary students. Using SPSS 15.0, a significant effect was found for realistic and social career choices. There was no significant relationship found for career decidedness. Results indicate that adolescent career decision making is embedded in gender-role stereotypes.