Intrinsic factors influencing students’ career aspirations in public secondary schools in Ndhiwa Sub-county in Homa Bay County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to establish intrinsic factors that influence students’ career aspirations in secondary schools. The study was conducted in six public schools in Ndhiwa Sub County among 211 students and 14 teachers. A mixed approach and convergent parallel mixed design were adopted. Purposive non-probability sampling techniques were used to sample teachers, while simple random probability sampling techniques were used to sample form three students. Data was collected using  an interview questionnaire and focused group discussion, and the reliability and validity of instruments for the collection of data were tested during the pilot study and correlated at r= 0.976. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS. 20.0, while the qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. Regression analysis was also used to further establish the extent to which revealed intrinsic factors are related to students’ career aspirations. The results showed that intrinsic factors that greatly influence students’ career aspirations are students’ interests, personality, knowledge, ability and beliefs. The study recommended that students should pay more attention to all the intrinsic factors in order to develop informed, relevant, and suitable career aspirations and choices.