FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHOICE OF CAREER AMONGST VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In those days when few people for various reasons could go to school and job were waiting for individuals to qualify and take, there little need for planning either in terms of what courses to take or in terms of what type of job to do in future as occupation. Today the old education system order has changed due to change in society. The present day society is too complex and changes at a much faster rate than it was before. This rate of change present a baling situation for the young ones in the society who have no experience. The choice of demand that alternatively should be clear and the important aspect should be taken into consideration in order that the decision process would be easier. According to Mankinde (1982), he observed that in a simple society with little diversified choice of career, it does not require much specialized assistance. Parents and friends and family could provide adequate advice to someone who has to make a choice between several familiar options. The restlessness common to youth today is indicative of the society is complex and diverse. They are trying to understand their relationship with this fact moving programme. As newsmen of at put “it is a genuine desire to come to give with the underlying question in all human enterprises. The meaning of life, what am here for, what can I do to justify my existence. The present system of education in Nigeria which is the 6-3-3-4 system is American in origin.

This pattern of education was into our society with its different culture of life and values and this class of value has created immense problems in our effort to develop a system suitable for our society. The history of applied psychology has its roots in the rise of empirical science and the increasing influence of a commercial industrial social class beginning in the last 18th century. This development led to the need for a more democratically based school system to train qualified worker for the every-burgeoning industrial complex indeed, the demand for workers in Nigeria was done among those that take the skills and the need for personal to help channel these prospective workers into increasingly complex job. The two significant events which occur in the 20thcentury marked the expansion of vocational and technical guidance. The were the career in 1910 of the national conference on vocational guidance. Association (Whifey, 1984). This marked the beginning of vocational moment in Nigeria. However, vocational guidance counselling started in Nigeria as far back as 1961 with the inauguration of the Ibadan career council, which later formed the nucleus of what is known as the Nigeria career councils. The name Nigeria career council was later changed in the year 1967. There was a general opinion amongst career counselor that our youngsters need constant guidance in the choice of occupation and the relevant career choice it is common knowledge to find students choosing vocation or occupation for which they have no aptitude but interest, such students are likely to end up in failure and career frustration.

Thus, we have to live in ambiguity, uncertainty and value confusion. In other words, the traditional road or signals of danger are all inadequate today. The fact that personal conflicts or some other external obstacles do constitute to these goals, how we handle these obstacles that they do not develop into problem, require experience. The fact that guidance scheme can over one tools such as knowledge of how to solve problems are brought to bear on problems situations, the ability to make appropriate choice and decision are increased to the utter satisfaction and happiness of the individual. It is noticeable that many students have gone through the years of school system without knowing and choosing the appropriate subject that can lead them into the professional job, further studies and career wrist to pursue. The question now is how can we solve these problem which are affecting our students in their choice of subject in the school system as the choice of subject leads to the choice of career which in turn leads to the world of work in the career which in turn lead to the world of work in the society and nation that will eventually lead to building the personality of the individuals. Career plays a very fundamental and significant role in the life of the individual not only because they determine the pattern of income but also because they affect the individual personality and concepts in life.

Career therefore is a choose pursuit, life work or success in one’s profession, it is the sequence of major position occupied by a person throughout his lifetime. In a nutshell, career is the totality of work one does in his life time and are person concerned. It is therefore a positive thing for one to think as far as possible as it is enduring. Career choice is something very hard to enter especially as ones life will depend on it. Her (1973) thus indicate that career is the totality of experience through which one learn about and prepare to engage in work as part of his way of living. Pietropesa and Splete (1975) Stress career is an enjoying process that occurs over the life span and includes homes, schools and community. Every human being needs to do one job or the other to help contribute his quote to the development of the country