The American Journal of Social Science and Education Innovations
72
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
72-82
10.37547/tajssei/Volume07Issue02-08
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
09 December 2024
ACCEPTED
11 January 2025
PUBLISHED
13 February 2025
VOLUME
Vol.07 Issue 02 2025
CITATION
Kai Walburga Ndum, Euphracia Yuh, & Njungwa Zinkeng Martina. (2025).
Effect of career interest on students’ career choice in technical secondary
schools in the south west region of Cameroon. The American Journal of
Social Science and Education Innovations, 7(02), 72
–
82.
https://doi.org/10.37547/tajssei/Volume07Issue02-08
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
Effect of career interest on
students’ career choice in
technical secondary
schools in the south west
region of Cameroon
Kai Walburga Ndum
Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of
Buea, Cameroon
Euphracia Yuh
Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of
Buea, Cameroon
Njungwa Zinkeng Martina
Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of
Buea, Cameroon
Abstract:
This study investigated the ‘effects of c
areer
interest on students’ career choice in Technical
Secondary Schools in the South West Region of
Cameroon’. This study was predicated on the
understanding that technical secondary school students
face numerous challenges when making a career choice
earlier in the academic ladder necessitating specific
intervention to enhance a stable career choice. The
objective was to examine how much career interest
affects students’ career choices in Technical Secondary.
Methodologically, the study employed a mixed-method
approach with a quasi experimental design,
encompassing both quantitative and qualitative
elements. The research sample comprised 20 students
and 45 guidance counselors selected from the South
West Region of Cameroon, with selection criteria based
on document analysis for students and the Division with
the most populated guidance counselors. Data
collection was facilitated through questionnaires, and
the analysis incorporated both descriptive and
inferential statistical methods. The Likelihood ratio test
was used in testing the hypotheses from data collected
from the guidance counselors. Independent Sample T-
test was also used to compare how students in both the
control and experimental groups at the pretest and
post-test levels differ in their mean scores. The
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qualitative data derived from open-ended questions
were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach
with the aid of themes. The research revealed a
remarkably strong correlation between students'
career interests and their ultimate career choices. This
relationship was substantiated by an overwhelming
90.8% consensus among guidance counselors and
further validated by a robust contingency value of
0.825, demonstrating statistical significance with a p-
value of 0.000, well below the 0.05 threshold. Based on
these compelling results, the researchers proposed
several actionable recommendations for guidance
counselors. These include the development and
implementation of individualized career interest
assessments, the creation of comprehensive exposure
programs featuring hands-on experiences, mentorship
opportunities,
and
industry
visits,
and
the
establishment of ongoing motivation and monitoring
systems to support students throughout their career
decision-making journey. These recommendations
reflect a holistic approach to career guidance that
acknowledges the crucial role of sustained
engagement and practical experience in shaping
effective career choices.
Keywords:
Students’ aptitude, career choice
.
Introduction:
Career choice is a pivotal decision that
shapes the future of students, influencing their
academic trajectory, personal development, and
professional aspirations. In Cameroon, as in many
other parts of the world, students in technical
secondary schools are often faced with a unique set of
challenges and opportunities when it comes to
selecting a career path. The South West region, known
for its rich cultural diversity and a growing emphasis on
technical education, offers a valuable context for
understanding the factors that influence career
decisions among young learners. This article explores
the impact of career interest on students' career
choices within this region, shedding light on how
personal preferences, societal influences, and
institutional support systems contribute to shaping the
vocational paths of students in technical schools.
Understanding the role of career interest in guiding
students towards specific professions is crucial for both
educators and policymakers aiming to improve career
guidance programs.
In the South West region, where there is a strong push
for developing technical skills to meet the demands of
a rapidly evolving job market, students' personal
interests often intersect with the regional needs for
skilled workers. This study delves into how the
alignment (or misalignment) between students'
passions and the available educational opportunities
influences their decision-making process. By examining
these dynamics, the article seeks to provide valuable
insights into how educational institutions can better
support students in making informed career choices
that will benefit both their personal growth and the
broader economy of Cameroon.
Statement of the Problem
The decision-making process regarding career choice is
one of the most significant milestones in the
educational journey of students, particularly those in
technical secondary schools. In the South West region of
Cameroon, despite a growing emphasis on technical
education and vocational training, there appears to be a
gap in understanding the factors that influence
students’ career choices, specifically the role of career
interest. While technical education is designed to equip
students with skills that meet the demands of a rapidly
evolving job market, there is limited research on how
students' career interests align with the vocational
pathways available to them. This misalignment may lead
to underperformance, lack of motivation, or students
opting for career paths that do not align with their true
interests or the region's labor market needs. Despite the
availability of career guidance programs in many
technical schools, there is insufficient evidence to
determine how career interest directly brings about
stable career choices in technical secondary school
students in the South West Region. Factors such as
socio-cultural influences, family expectations, and
regional economic demands may either hinder or
enhance students' decision-making processes regarding
their future careers. This gap in the literature highlights
the need for a comprehensive study to examine the
effects of career interest on students' career choices,
focusing on how these factors intersect with
institutional practices, societal pressures, and regional
economic priorities. Addressing this issue will provide
critical insights that can inform policy decisions and
educational practices aimed at improving career
guidance and student outcomes in technical education.
Literature Review
According to Bingham (2001) career interest is a type of
attitude that moves an individual in action as soon as he
gets an opportunity, and he continues it as he is
satisfied. The activity done by getting attracted toward
any object or an individual, by preparing it and deriving
satisfaction out of it through concentrating on it is called
vocational interest. Jolda (2005) adds that, career
interests are one of the many variables included in most
models of
career
development and
person-
environment fit (P-E fit) and assessment of interests is
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an integral ingredient in career counseling
interventions. Sardiman (2004) points out that interest
is a state that occurs when someone sees the
characteristics or meanings of a situation to be related
to their desires and needs.
In the teenage years, individuals usually begin to focus
on making career plans by exploring various career
options and seeking information about the careers
they are interested in and begin to make career
decisions (Bardick, Bernes, Magnusson, & Witko,
2004). The main focus of the exploration stage is to
explore various personal information and career fields
as a basis for determining career choices. This includes
choosing a continuous study that is in line with the
career that the individual will pursue (Ardiyanti & Alsa,
2015). According to Ardiyanti and Alsa (2015), the
causes of student uncertainty in determining the
choice of study program include but not limited to:
students do not know their interest in a particular
study program. Career interests reflect individuals’
trait-like preferences for activities, environments, and
outcomes
that
motivate
goal strivings
and
achievement (Jones et al., 2020). Simply put, interests
are a series of likes and dislikes that develop alongside
one’s cognitive abilities and personality to shape
human behavior (Low et al., 2005). Interests, thus,
drive the amount of time and effort individuals spend
acquiring knowledge and abilities within a certain
domain and their pursuit of educational and career
goals (Jones et al., 2020).
Students actively explore curricular opportunities that
allow them to combine their interests enabling them
to build their own ‘lines of practice’ (Azevedo 2015).
Well-developed
interest
is
associated
with
independent, voluntary and frequent engagement
with an object influenced by placements or
internships, work experiences and co-curricular
activities. Renninger and Hidi (2022), suggest that a
more nuanced approach should be taken to
understand interest development. That is, as students
gain more knowledge of their field, they refine their
interests
within
it.
Understanding
interest
development requires appreciating how students
clarify specific interests within a field and how they
blend various interests to build their own individual
lines of practice (Azevedo 2015). Renninger and
Quinlan (2022) found that creating learning
environments that support students’ interest in their
academic subject also support students’ career
interest development. Until recently, much of the
vocational interest literature has assumed that career
interest is stable and trait-like (Schultz et al. 2017). Sear
& Gordon (2008) defines interest as the things that
hold one’s attention or arouse one’s curiosity.
Interests are a person likes or dislikes and are
characterized by the person’s intensity of feeling about
a subject (Hooley, 2012).
Interests are learned from parents, in school, from
friends, and from lifelong experiences. For instance,
when one engages in various activities he reacts with
specific feelings or attitudes. These personal reactions
plus the feedbacks one receives about his performance
help to shape and focus interest. Interest can change, as
one experiences life and meet more people; one
become interested in new things and discard some of
his/her old interests. One also develops more complex
thinking and understanding process, and one may even
seek new interest and activities with hope of improving
and making life more exciting (Hewitt, 2010). Once the
interest of one change so does the career choice of a
person changes. In other words, career information on
interest should highlight the possibility of change that
will bring about stability in choice. Students seek career
that meet their interest at a particular time hence the
career that they may have wished to take when they
were younger is not what they eventually do. According
to Hewitt (2010), interest has become the most
important determinant factor and measures of
occupational choices. One continues to acquire
interests throughout life and this in return influences
the reasoning and choices one makes including career
choices.
According to vocational choice theory, individuals tend
to seek work that aligns with their interests, and when
this congruence occurs, they have greater motivation,
performance, persistence, and satisfaction with their
job (Holland, 1997). In line with this, congruence theory
suggests that when an applicant’s interests align with a
work environment, they will be more likely to choose to
work there, be satisfied working there, and desire to
stay in that work longer. In this way, research on career
interests largely relates to the idea of employee fit,
which suggests that similarity between a person and
their work environment will lead to more positive work
attitudes and behaviors. Kazi, Nimra, and Nawaz (2017),
revealed that interest in a subject is the most dominant
factor influencing the career choices of business
students and that interest in the subject is also related
and has some linkage with personality type. A study by
Atitsogbe et al., (2018) reported that Swiss students are
more influenced by personal interests in career
decision-making and that, interest differentiation was
significantly associated with self-identity. Similarly, Su,
(2018) study in Burkina Faso reported that vocational
interest information focuses on individuals’ traits and
their match to particular careers, rather than seeing
interest as something that can grow and develop with
appropriate support. Moreover, Gallup’s (2019) study
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reported that graduates who experienced a sense of
purpose in their work were more likely to align their
work with their interests, values, and strengths and
participate in a program or class that helped them
think about pursuing meaningful work. Most recently,
Abe and Chikoko’s (2020) study concluded that career
interest is important in the decision-making process of
students.
Super (1955) says interest is the production of
interaction between inherited aptitude and endocrine
factors on the one hand and opportunity and social
evaluation on the other. Some of the things a person
does well bring the satisfaction of mastery, approval of
companions and results in interest. Super’s career
-
development and assessment counseling (C-DAC)
model includes interests as one of several constructs
he recommended assessing to help clients explore
their life roles. Sup
er’s model assumes that readiness
to make decisions must be established before the
assessment of interests can contribute to the career
exploration process. Although Super acknowledged
the assessment of interests in the C-DAC career
counseling model, the model pays little attention to
interests except during the growth stage.
According to Hewitt (2010), interest has become the
most important factor in determining and measuring
career selection. Most people would like to work at
something they enjoy. Sear and Gordon (2002)
explained that interest inventories have been
developed to help identify interests and relate them to
careers and occupations. Within the broader domain
of schooling, students have not just one individual
interest but a network of individual interests.
Individual interests can be defined in terms of specific
domains such as school subjects or specific activities
within popular culture. In addition to having individual
interests in specific domains and activities, students
may have a more general individual interest. General
individual interest in learning is expressed as a desire
to acquire new information, to find out about new
objects, events, and ideas not restricted to any narrow
domain. This may involve approaching and acquiring
information about something novel or it may involve
seeking new information concerning something the
student already knows about. As Ainley (1998) argued,
general interest in learning represents a characteristic
way of approaching novel, uncertain, or puzzling
phenomena with the goal or purpose of understanding
those phenomena. This type of interest may involve
both seeking new knowledge and expanding existing
knowledge.
Assessing interests can range from the macro
approach of providing job titles and asking people the
degree to which they might be interested in that
position, such as Holland’s Vocational Preference
Inventory ( Holland, 1997) to a more micro approach of
assessing the degree to which individuals prefer
engaging in certain activities which may be
characteristic of certain jobs, such as the Strong-
Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII; Campbell 2002), the
Jackson Vocational Interest Survey (JVIS; Jackson 2000),
and the Jackson Career Explorer (JCE; Schermer 2012).
Career interests are the most frequently assessed
construct in career counseling. SCCT investigates three
aspects of career development, namely, career-relevant
interests, selection of career choice options, and
performance and persistence in pursuing the proposed
career. Interest has been identified as an essential
precursor to career choice and is defined as an emotion
that arouses attention to, curiosity about, and concern
with a career (Akbulut & Looney, 2007).
Individuals often use interest inventories to see which
career paths might be best suited to them, and
organizations may, after proper validation use these
inventories to gauge potential applicants’ fit (Hoff et al.,
2020b). In general, interest inventories ask respondents
to select whether they like, dislike, or are neutral
towards a variety of items. Items often cover specific
activities, school subjects, occupations, types of people
and characteristics (Low et al., 2005). Items are then
grouped into specific interest scales that can tell
individuals which RIASEC dimension they most identify
with or which occupations seem to fit them best. Some
of the most commonly used commercial inventories
include the Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS;
Campbell, 1995), the Strong Interest Inventory (SII;
Strong et al., 2004), the Self-Directed Search (SDS;
Holland et al., 1994). In addition to these commercially
available inventories, the Interest Item Pool (IIP) is an
open-access item pool. The IIP website offers public
domain vocational interest scales that assess Holland’s
six categories as well as 31 basic interests. Additionally,
the O*NET website presents online materials that
facilitate
interest
exploration
(O*NET
OnLine,
n.d.).According to Sears and Gordon (2008), interest
inventories have been developed to help identify
interests and relate them to careers and occupations. By
measuring the interests of successful and satisfied
people in an occupation, researchers have developed
scales that compare the interests of individuals to the
interests of people who are certain about what they
want to do. Within the counseling intervention
framework, interests may be assessed for several
reasons, to help individuals to make informed
occupational and educational choices.
METHODS
This study employed a mixed-methods approach. The
aim was to benefit from both the detailed,
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contextualized insights of qualitative data and the
generalizable, externally valid insights of quantitative
data. The research design used was the quasi-
experimental research design. The sample size
constituted of 20 students and 45 guidance counsellors
selected from the South West Region of Cameroon
with selection criteria based on document analysis for
students and the division with most populated
guidance counsellors.
The purposive sampling technique was used to select
the division, school, class, trade and participants in the
quasi experiment. Purposive sampling was used to
select Fako division from the accessible divisions in the
South West Region because it had the highest student
population likewise school counsellors in technical
secondary schools within the South West Region of
Cameroon in the 2022/2023 academic year. Students
for the sample were obtained through document
analysis.
Quantitative data were analyzed using the descriptive
and inferential statistical tools. The descriptive
statistical tools used are frequency count, percentages,
mean standard deviation and multiple responses set
which aimed at calculating the summary of findings for
each variable for a quick comprehension of the findings.
With reference to inferential statistical tools, the
Likelihood ratio test that works in association with the
Chi-Square test was used in testing the hypotheses from
the data collected from the guidance counsellors. The
Independent Sample T-test was also used to compare
how students in both the control and experimental
group at pretest and posttest level differ in their mean
score with reference to, and without information to
their career choice.
RESULTS AND FINDINGS
Figure 1:
Guidance Counsellors Opinion on Career Interest and Students’ Career Choice
In overall, majority of the guidance counsellors 90.8%
were of the opinion that career interest will influence
students’ career choice while 9.2% of them disagreed.
The overall mean value of 3.33 on a scale of 1-4 equally
implies that many of the guidance counsellors had high
belief that sustaining students’ career interest influence
their career choice, and the low standard deviation
value of 0.648 implies that the guidance counsellors in
their majority had the same belief.
Table 1:
Comparing Students’ Career Desire at Pretest Level in both Groups without Career Interest
Pre test
Pretest control group
Pretest experimental group
N
10
10
Mean
11.80
11.90
Median
11.00
11.00
Minimum
9
10
Maximum
16
16
Std. Error of Mean
.742
.705
Std. Deviation
2.348
2.312
Total mean score= 20
90.8
9.2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Accepted to affect students'
career choice
Does not affect students' career
choice
P
e
rcen
ta
ge
Guidance counsellors opinion on career interest to students
Career interest and students' career choice
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Results showed that at the pretest level where
students in both groups were not given information
career interest, their reaction to career choice was
almost the same as revealed by an approximate equal
mean score (Control group 11.80±0.742) and
experimental group (11.90±0.705) on 20. Again, the
standard deviation of 2.348 in the control group and
2.312 for the experimental group implies that the
students’ reaction to career choice was almost the
same.
Table 2:
Comparing Students’ Career Desire at Posttest Level in both Groups after Career Interest
Posttest
Posttest control group
Posttest experimental group
N
10
10
Mean
12.10
16.80
Median
11.30
17.00
Minimum
11
15
Maximum
16
16
Std. Error of Mean
.628
.593
Std. Deviation
2.312
1.874
Total mean score= 20
Results showed that at the posttest level where
students in the experimental group were given
information on career interest, their reaction to career
choice improved as indicated by a higher mean value
of 16.80±0.593 on 20 when compare to students in the
control group not given information on career interest
with a mean of 12.10±0.628 almost the same as seen
at the pretest level 11.80. By this, it was evident that
there was much improvement in the students’ decision
to their career choice at the post test level for those in
experimental group more than those in the control
group. The minimum score is 11 for control group and
15 for experimental group and maximum score is 16 for
control group and 16 for experimental group on 20. The
low standard deviation in the experimental group 1.874
than in the control group 2.312 implies that many of the
students in the experimental group make better
decisions to their career choice than those in the control
group.
Table 3:
Likelihood Test Depicting Significant Relationship between Career Interest and Students’ Career
Choice
Model Fitting Information
Explanatory power
of the model
Cox and Snell
(
Pseudo R-
Square)
Model
Model Fitting
Criteria
Likelihood Ratio Tests
-2 Log
Likelihood
Chi-
Square
Contingency
coefficient
p-
value
Intercept
Only
99.938
.881
Final
4.184
95.754
.825
.000
df=39
Statistically, the findings showed that career interest to
students have a very strong and significant effect on
students’ career choice as indicated by a high
contingency value of 0.825 on a scale 0 to 1, p-value
0.000< 0.05. The explanatory power of the model of
88.1% also revealed that career interest same like
information on training to students will contribute
greatly in their career choice. This was further proven
using the experimental results below.
Table 4:
Comparing Students’ Decision to Career Choice after Information on Career Interest for One
Group
Test
level
Group
N
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std.
Error
Mean
T-test
value
p
-value
Post
Control
10
12.10
2.312
.628
5.118
.000
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test
Experimental
10
16.80
1.874
.593
T-test value for equal variance not assumed, 5.118 greater than critical t-value of 2.101 at df=18, Cl 0.05 level
.
Mean difference at posttest =4.7
In line with the findings derived from the guidance
counsellors, the results from the experiment further
revealed that the provision of information on career
interest only to students in the experimental group
significantly improve decision to their career choice
with mean score increasing from 11.90 to 16.80 on 20.
(Calculated t-value 5.118 >critical value of 2.101, and
p-value =0.000 < 0.05) when compared to those in the
control group not given information on career interest
with mean score almost remain statistic 11.80 to 12.10.
The mean difference between the experimental and
control group at posttest level is 4.7 which is much.
Therefore, the hypothesis that states there is a
significant relationship between career interest and
students’ career choice
in Technical Secondary Schools
in the South West Region of Cameroon was accepted.
Table 5:
Thematic analysis on ways guidance counsellors help to sustain the interest in students towards
their chosen trade
Themes
Theme description
Quotations
Information
provision
Provision of useful and valid
information
‘Gathering more information on that particular career and
practice”
‘Giving details of made choice, it's limitations and
strengths”
‘Providing information on career service’
‘Giving students information on expected benefits in the
choices they have made”
Internship
Exposure to variety of field of
works
‘Expose them to role play activities in those aspects’
‘Visits to some work institution of their choice of trade”
‘encourage workshop attendance’
‘Carry out school practical’
Illustrating career opportunities’
‘Engage them in internship’
Motivation/
Encouragement
Building a positive self- concept
‘Motivating them and instilling in them the power of a
positive self-concept’
‘Encourage career exploration’
Sensitization
Administering interest inventories
‘Creating
awareness
on
students
undeveloped
capabilities’
‘Coach them
‘Providing counseling’
Guidance
Individual and group sessions
‘Telling the possible careers and jobs link to the selected
career’
‘Tell them to be focus’
Follow-up
Continuous
orientation
and
feedback
‘Regular follow-up’
Creativity
Encourage cooperative learning
‘Engage in cooperating with peers’
The guidance counsellors were asked of ways they help
their students to sustain their interest in their career
choice. One of the ways reported by many of the
guidance counsellors was by providing information to
the students about the work benefits attach to their
career choice and even the limitations as depicted in
some statements “Gathering more information on that
particular career and practice, giving students
information on expected benefits in the choices they
have made, giving details of that choice, it's limitations
and strengths”.
Again, another ways used by many counsellors is by
exposing the students to variety of field works for
observation as depicted in some statements “Expose
them to role play activities in those aspects, visits to
some work institution of their choice of trade, expose
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them to many careers available, encourage workshop
attendance”.
In addition, some counsellors said they counsel the
students, offering guidance, following them up, place
them on internships, carry out workshop practical,
encourage positive self esteem, encourage them to do
lot of practical and encourage cooperative learning
among the students as depicted in some statements
“Regular follow
-
up”, “Motivating students and
instilling in them the power of a positive self-
concept”,
DISCUSSIONS
Findings showed that career interest in students has a
very strong and significant effect on students’ career
choices. This implies that when students are provided
information on career interest concepts such as
interest inventories, interest scope, general interest,
intrinsic interest, engaging in activities of choice, and
reinforcing likes, students become certain of their
career choice. This is in congruence with Krapp (2003)
who opined that, the actual interests of a person
provide an orientation when the individual has to make
decisions about the direction of future goals. Interest
is a component in choice-making that brings about
persistence and creativity. Therefore, once interest is
accurately directed, career choice is stable. Dahir,
Burnham, and Stone (2009) support this view by
stating that, career development goals at the middle
school and high school levels include exposing students
to career information and information systems;
fostering self-understanding of interests, skills,
aptitudes and values; and engaging in academic and
career planning. Understanding the factors that
influence how students’ career choice stability
develops during secondary school is necessary for the
designing of learning environments that best support
students.
Findings from counsellors indicated that when interest
inventory is used to diagnose students’ interests, their
career choice is stable. This is in congruence with Sear
and Gordon (2002) who explained that interest
inventories have been developed to help identify
interests and relate them to careers and occupations.
When a student is administered an interest inventory,
the interpretation serves as a picker of an appropriate
career. Once a student is certain about their likes they
become creative with those likes and further unveil a
growing motivation to persist in their choice. The
majority of the guidance counsellors were of the
opinion that, creating awareness of what a student
likes with the help of interest inventories, helps
students increase their likeness for that aspect and
that students who have high interest in an activity tend
to make stable trade choices. These findings provide a
possible justification for the conclusion of the empirical
work of Vasilescu, Moraru and Sava (2014) who found
that at the university level, there are still deficiencies in
choosing an appropriate educational type that
corresponds to the personal career interests and
consequently academic dissatisfaction and failure.
Therefore, findings in this study prove the necessity of
intervention at the secondary school level which is
earlier on the academic ladder to bring about early
stability in career choice which will translate to later
schooling.
Most counsellors were of the view that encouraging
students to focus on interest from within since it lasts
longer and grows stronger will help them make a stable
career choice. This is in corroboration with Owie (2003)
who argued that the most important reason why a
person chooses a particular career is that the person has
an intrinsic interest in the field. Intrinsic interest is a
force that does not have a materialistic motive. During
the intervention, students arrived at a realization that
apart from marks, money and other rewards doing
something for the love of it is a sustainable technique in
choice. Not for absolutely any reward but for the
positive fulfillment and growth an activity brings, a
culture of persistence is created. Awareness of the fact
that some rewards disappear along the line within a
career is imperative or crucial early enough before the
student can make a stable career choice. Lent et al.
(1999) through the Social Cognitive Career Theory’s
Interest Model further support this by saying that,
interest in an activity is likely to blossom and endure
when people view themselves as competent at the
activity and anticipate that performing it will produce
valued outcomes.
Most counsellors reported that engaging students in
activities of their choice and reinforcing interest are
intervention techniques that bring about career choice
stability. This is consistent with Renninger and Quinlan
(2022) who found that creating learning environments
that support students’ interest in their academic subject
also supports students’ car
eer interest development.
The Learning theory of career counselling (Mitchell and
Krumboltz (1996) further support this view by
highlighting
that,
learning
experiences
both
instrumental and associative learning experiences later
influence on career planning
and development are
primarily determined by the activity’s reinforcement or
non-reinforcement and by a task itself. The interest of
children is bound to change as they gain more
information on employability and the world of work. As
such a better technique to reassure them and redirect
this change to stable career channels is to engage them
in the activities they prefer. Choosing an activity is a
signal that a child has a liking for it. Therefore, this liking
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The American Journal of Social Science and Education Innovations
must be appropriately sustained to enhance
persistence. As students gain more knowledge of their
field, they refine their interests within it. The most
common type of career interest change recorded in
this study was a clarification of career interest within
the same broad subject of study, suggesting greater
knowledge of the subject area and related career
options.
Counsellors also reported that allowing students to
work with what they enjoy is an intervention
mechanism that brings about stability in career choice.
This is supported by Alberto and Troutman (2013) who
argued that a relationship can be termed reinforced
only if the behaviour increases or maintains its rate due
to the consequence. When we say a student enjoys
doing something it implies this activity brings forth
some fulfillment or feeling of satisfaction in that
student. Therefore, the positive feelings in the
individual serve as a motive to be consistent in their
choice. Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII) by
Campbell (2002) is a preferred micro approach to
assessing the degree to which individuals prefer
engaging in certain activities that may be characteristic
of certain jobs.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this research offer compelling evidence
for the pivotal role of career interest in shaping
students' career trajectories within Technical
Secondary Schools in South West Region of Cameroon.
Through rigorous analysis and empirical validation, the
study demonstrates that understanding and nurturing
students' career interests serves as a fundamental
cornerstone in guiding them toward well-informed and
sustainable career decisions. The research reveals a
remarkable consensus among guidance counselors
regarding the transformative power of career interest
cultivation. This professional agreement is further
strengthened
by
experimental
data
showing
measurable improvements in students' career
decision-making capabilities when provided with
targeted career interest information and guidance. The
positive outcomes observed in students who received
structured interventions underscore the effectiveness
of comprehensive career guidance approaches.
Particularly noteworthy is the study's demonstration
of how specific interventions, including fieldwork
exposure, motivational counseling, aptitude testing,
and cooperative learning experiences, significantly
enhance students' ability to make stable career
choices. These findings emphasize that career
guidance should not be approached as a singular event
but rather as an ongoing, multi-faceted process that
actively engages students in exploring and
understanding their professional interests.The research
conclusively establishes that when students are
equipped with appropriate career information and
given opportunities to explore their interests, they
develop stronger decision-making capabilities aligned
with their natural inclinations and abilities. This
alignment between personal interest and career choice
emerges as a crucial factor in fostering long-term
professional satisfaction and success.
Based on the findings, Career counseling in educational
settings requires a comprehensive and nuanced
approach that goes beyond traditional advising
methods. Guidance counselors must adopt proactive
strategies that emphasize personalized assessment and
experiential learning opportunities. The development of
customized career interest assessments serves as a
foundational
element,
enabling
counselors
to
understand each student's unique inclinations and
potential pathways. To facilitate meaningful career
exploration,
counselors
should
create
diverse
opportunities for hands-on experience. This includes
organizing industry visits where students can observe
professionals in their work environment, establishing
mentorship programs that connect students with
experienced practitioners, and coordinating internship
placements that provide real-world exposure to various
career fields. These experiential components help
students develop a tangible understanding of different
professions and workplace cultures.
Interest enhancement activities play a crucial role in the
career development process. Through career role-
playing exercises, students can temporarily step into
different professional roles, gaining insights into the
day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of various
occupations. Structured internship programs provide
extended periods of practical experience, allowing
students to test their interest in specific fields while
developing relevant skills and professional networks.
The implementation of interest tests and self-
assessment tools adds an important analytical
dimension to career guidance. While these assessments
should not be viewed as definitive determinants of
career choice, they provide valuable data points that
can help validate or challenge students' preliminary
career interests. The results often offer objective
insights that support more informed decision-making
and help students understand why certain career paths
might be more suitable than others.
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