INTRODUCTION

Significance of the study

Choosing one over another is difficult especially when your future depends upon it. To be more ascertain people get to use their preference in such a way that they would not be put at risk.

Preference is the act of preferring, choosing, or favoring one above other. One example of this is choosing what career path to be taken in College. But it is not simply choosing, there are some factors associated why people choose one above other. A student might choose Engineering because he is good at Mathematics or Accountancy because it is an in-demand course.

This proves that choosing a career path is an important decision that will make in determining future plans because this decision will impact throughout ones lives. Usually, this occurs in the midst of fourth year in high school of the students. For them to be able to go onto higher level, they are sought to choose a career path among many options. But because of these many options they tend to be more confused and they tend used their preference.

Notre Dame of Kabacan is just one of the school institutions in Kabacan, North Cotabato that caters secondary level of education. This school has fourth year high school students that might experience the same situation.

In this study, the researcher will: determine what is the career preferred by students; identify the factors affecting their preference; determine the advantages and disadvantages in choosing a career; and identify the problems encountered by the students in choosing a career path.

This is an important matter in the society because this is one of the concerns of many students and students play a huge part in our society. Their decisions and actions give impact to our society. But this study will be a help for them to gain insights. Aside from that, students are considered customers and customers are the profit generator of any institution, so, for Tertiary schools it will provide information of which career path to be developed and improved to have huge numbers of enrollees for the coming years. Moreover, this study will give the researcher opportunity to gain knowledge about the preference of fourth year high school students in choosing career path. Lastly, it will serve as a guide and reference to the future researchers with the same subject matter, thus becomes a benefit on their part.

Objectives of the study

The general objective of the study was to find out the preference in choosing a career path among fourth year high school students of Notre Dame of Kabacan (NDK), Kabacan, North Cotabato. Specifically, it aims to: 1. Describe the socio-demographic and economic profile of the respondents; 2. Determine the career path of the respondents; 3. Identify the factors affecting the preference of the respondents; 4. Determine the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a career path; and, 5. Identify the problems encountered by the respondents in choosing a career path.

Expected output of the study

1. Described socio-demographic and economic profile of the respondents; 2. Determined career path of the respondents; 3. Identified factors affecting the preference of the respondents; 4. Determined advantages and disadvantages of choosing a career path; and, 5. Identified problems encountered by the respondents in choosing a career path.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study is limited only on describing the socio-demographic and economic profile, determining the career path, identifying the factors affecting preference, determining the advantage and disadvantage of choosing a career path and identifying the problems encountered by Fourth year high school students of Notre Dame of Kabacan, Kabacan, North Cotabato.

Place and Time of the Study

The study will be conducted within the domain of NDK, Kabacan, North Cotabato on December 2014 to January 2015.

Definition of Terms

Career - is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life)"

Career path - is a series of articulated educational and training programs and services that enables students, often while they are working, to advance over time to successively higher levels of education and employment in a given industry or occupational sector.

Preference - is the act of preferring, choosing, or favoring one above other; the act, fact, or principle of giving advantages to some over others.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

According to ______________ , Career preference is free opportunity to select a desired career. It is also a decision-making in a confusing situation which occurs during the senior year of high school level. When one is confused in choosing a career, he relies on his friends and relatives. He was confused in a sense that he cannot make his own decision and not yet ready to get into college. According to Tiedeman , career development unfolds within the general process of cognitive development as one resolves ego-relevant crises. He further noted out that decision-making is a continuous process in which individuals will change their courses of career action, generally by leaving a setting or environment. Such as when a student is disoriented in his course he has been taken that will result in decreasing eagerness on that particular field. He decides to transfer in another school or to shift another course that really fits his own interest and. When one is unstable in making decision, these disoriented strategy may be repeated until achieve different bachelor’s degree which can be a major distraction of one’s future job. Super also considered indecisiveness as a period of developmental process when interest was not fully crystallized.

According to Howard and Ill stressed out that whenever students are in their high school experience, they are the center of learning. In a traditional high school, the center of the system is the content or subject, not student learning. Howard and Ill present a system to promote the shift from traditional content or subject –centered high schools to student-centered high schools which is called as Collaborative Career Pathways – a system of organizing the student learning interests and aptitudes around career paths. It provides a structure for students to reference their learning and comment each year of their high school experience. It allows students to plan and practice their skills while creating a smooth and successful transition to a post-secondary option.
Goffredson’s Developmental Theory of Occupational Aspirations describes how people become attracted to certain occupations. Self-concept in vocational development is the key factor to career selection and people want jobs that are compatible with their self-image. The key determinants of self-concept are one’s social class, level of intelligence, and experiences with sex-typing. Roe’s need approach emphasized that early childhood experiences play an important role in finding satisfaction in one’s chosen field. The need structure of the individual, according to Roe, would be greatly influenced by early childhood frustrations and satisfactions.
According to John Holland, individuals are attracted to a given career by their particular personalities and numerous variables that constitute their backgrounds. First of all, career choice is an expression of, or an extension of personality into the world of work followed by subsequent identification with specific occupational stereotypes. Accordingly, one chooses a career to satisfy preferred modal personal orientation. Modal personal orientation is a developmental process established through heredity and the individual’s life history of reacting to environmental demands. If the individual has developed a strong dominant orientation, satisfaction is probable in a corresponding occupational environment. If, however the orientation is one of indecision, the livelihood of satisfaction diminishes.
According to the study conducted by Siguan Jr. (1994), it was found out that the students self-concept showed no significant influence on their career preferences. The academic achievements of students proved to be significant related to their career preferences. The school were students came from had no influence on their choice of career. He recommends that a more improved and functional guidance provided in school to help students make sound career choices. The guidance services in school must be collaborative efforts of the administrator, guidance counselors, and teachers. Classroom teachers are encouraged to do their best in improving teaching learning processes, considering that academic achievement of student influences their career preferences.
Another study conducted by Almerino (2003), it was found out that a big picture of a big family with low educational attainment and inadequate investment was the sole foundation of choosing a course, which was psychologically motivated. The respondent’s level of preferred intelligence did not match to their chosen course. This could be drawn from the required level of the course in contrast with their level of preferred intelligence.
The necessity of developing a career development program was need in order to prevent any misfits and to assist students in the process of crystallizing their career in life. She recommended that this program be effectively implemented.
Personal interests, abilities, skills, and values are the most influential factors in coming chosen occupation by the participants according to Pabiton (2007). These imply that like other graduating students in high school students, the participants seemed to have chosen occupation. She also noted that the students be given all the chances to learn and develop the skills and attitudes required for various occupations. She recommends that career counselors could give more emphasis on this environmental factor during individual and small group career counseling.

According to the study conducted by Garcez (2007), it was found out that by increasing career development activities, which includes setting career goals, students had a higher self-esteem. Maybe even more important, however, is that students were more satisfied about the education they were receiving. This will, in turn, hopefully lead to students having a deeper desire and commitment to succeed in their education. Another outcome of a higher self-esteem is that those students chose more difficult goals than students with low self-esteems. She noted that excellent detailed plan for teaching parents and teachers how to teach young students to set career goals. The plan requires a total community effort through educators, parents, and businesses. Students must be given an opportunity to identify and explore their desired careers. They can accomplish this through the “School to Work Transition” or “Job Shadowing Program.” Through the cooperative efforts of the entire community, students can identify career choices, set career goals, and have higher self-esteems at an early age. Ultimately, they will further their education and have a better chance of succeeding in the “do or die” world in which we live.

According to Elmer (1989), career planning is life goal-setting. Without such a plan, it is like making a journey to an unfamiliar destination without a map. He proposed a Career Planning Guide that will help the students in choosing their appropriate course from planning a career, steps in planning career, goal-setting and self-understanding. Also, it reveals that guidance and counseling is intervention of underemployment individuals and career preparedness must be initiated.
Factors in Career Choice
Every student carries the unique history of their past and this determines how they view the world. That history created, in part by the student’s environment, personality, and opportunity, will determine how students make career choices. It then follows that how the student perceives their environment, personality, and opportunity also will determine the career choices students make.

The first factor in career choice is environment. This may influence the career students choose. For example, students who have lived on an island may choose a career dealing with the water, or they may choose to leave the island behind, never to have anything to do with water again. Maybe someone in the student’s life has made a significant impact or impression, leading to a definite career choice. Parents’ educational background may influence student views on whether or not to continue their education. Someone they saw on television may have influenced the student, or parents may have demanded that they assume a family business. These are various environmental factors that would lead a student to a chosen career.
How students have seen themselves in a role in which personality is a determining factor may influence a chosen career. Some careers demand that you have the personality to match the qualities of the occupation. For example, sales people have to be outgoing. Splaver (1977) said “personality” plays an important role in the choosing of the right career. A student’s personality must be a self-motivated type, as to investigate career possibilities from early on in their lives, and not the procrastinating type that waits until they are compelled to decide. Students must take seriously the role grades play in limiting opportunities in the future. Splaver went on to say, “It is important for you to have a good understanding of yourself, your personality, if you are to make intelligent career plans” (Splaver, 1977, p.12).
Opportunity is the third factor that has shaped career choices for students. Opportunity may influence how students have perceived their future in terms of the reasonable probability of a future in particular career fields. The issue of poverty has played an important determining role in the opportunities available to all. The income level of high school families may determine what career a student chooses during a specific time in the student’s life; choices that will determine a large part of that student’s future. Some students will have to budget education according to their personal income. Thout (1969) addressed those in desperate need, “Where necessary, these persons [Individuals described as living under the poverty level] must be assisted through special training programs to overcome educational and social handicaps so that minimum job standards can be met” (p. 1). Students in many cases will need the proper mentoring opportunities to succeed. These support groups will be another opportunity that if properly implemented, can help a student in the career choice process. The support system must have been in place and readily available for the student to utilize. The creation of support groups will have to be in place to sustain the student through times of financial, emotional, and educational need.

Advantages and Disadvantages of choosing a career path

It depends which career you are speaking of, as there are advantages and disadvantages in every career choice that there is.

Problems encountered in choosing a career

In a perfect world, each person would know the right career for him and all the required elements would fall into place. Realistically, choosing a career can prove daunting. Anything from fear to lack of awareness can toss up a roadblock on the path to a career decision. The more you know about the pitfalls of choosing a career, the more prepared you'll be when faced with the process.
The Perfect Fit
Some people mistakenly believe that only one perfect career exists for each individual. However, there are many careers that share the same characteristics. Instead of seeking one work path that seems like a perfect fit, therefore, it's important to investigate a variety of options that have features in common.
Fear of Failure
The element of the unknown often rears its head in a search for the right career choice. A person may fear that she won't like the career once she commits to it. She may fear that she won't be good at it. Ways to allay these and similar fears include thoroughly researching the job and its characteristics, talking to people who have held the same type of job for several years and spending some time as an observer at the desired place of employment.
Current Obligations
Current obligations can cause a person to overlook certain careers because he thinks he won't be able to properly integrate these two aspects of his life. For instance, if a debt-ridden person is well-suited for a career field that has low pay, he's unlikely to pursue that work because he knows it won't provide the money he needs to cover his bills. If he feels strongly about pursing that career, he can create a plan with a set end-date for resolving the obstacle to his preferred career path and use that goal as motivation to stick to his plan.
Lack of Awareness
A lack of awareness about skills, values and interests can cause problems when trying to choose a career. While this is a typical problem for people newly entering or re-entering the workforce, it can affect anyone who is out of touch with what he wants from a career. Career aptitude tests and career counseling can help a person determine the type of careers he should pursue.
Educational Barriers
Certain careers require job seekers to attain specific levels or types of education. If the career a person is truly interested in requires advanced education, but he needs to start working now, the situation can create indecisiveness about choosing another career in which he has little or no interest.
One way to tackle this obstacle is to find a lower-level job in the career field of interest. At the same time, he can pursue the advanced education he needs to make his dream career a reality.

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study will be using descriptive type of research design. The descriptive research design will be used to describe the socio-demographic and economic profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, religion, civil status and monthly income of the family.

Locale of the Study

The study will be conducted in the north of province of Cotabato in the municipality of Kabacan particularly within the domain of NDK.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study will be 100 Fourth year high school students of NDK, Kabacan, North Cotabato enrolled in school year 2014-2015 and they will be randomly chosen. Sampling size and Sampling Techniques

The researcher will be using stratified random sampling in computing the sample with the used of slovin’s formula, where n=N1+Ne2, and applying a 10% margin of error. Convenient sampling method will be used to select the number of samples. The numbers of the respondents are distributed as follows:

Table A. Proportional Distribution of Respondents STRATA | N | n | | | | (Section of 4th year) | | | | | | Total | | | | | |

Respondent Instrument

The researcher will be using a self-prepared questionnaire in gathering data from the respondents. The questionnaire has two parts, the first part contains socio-demographic and economic profiles of the respondents in terms of age, sex, religion, civil status and monthly income of the family while the second part contains questions such as what is the preferred career path of the respondents, what are the factors affecting their preference, what are the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a career path and what are the problems encountered by the respondents in choosing a career path.

Data to be gathered and Data gathering Procedure

The data to be gathered are: socio-demographic and economic profiles of the respondents in terms of age, sex, religion, civil status and monthly income of the family; preferred career path of the respondents; the factors affecting their preference; advantages and disadvantages of choosing a career path; and problems encountered by the respondents in choosing a career path. Prior to data gathering, the researcher will submit a letter of permission in conducting the study to the school. Moreover, the researcher will inquire for the availability of the respondents’ time, since they are fourth year high school students. Upon approval, the researcher retrieves the request letter. In administering the questionnaire, the researcher will use the time allotted for vacant to avoid distractions of class discussions. After data gathering, the researcher will collect it for tallying the scores and to apply the statistical treatment to be used with the study.

Statistical Analysis

In Data analyses, the researcher will be using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, weighted mean and percentage of the data collected.

LITERATURE CITED

Geddes & Grosset. 2004. Webster’s Universal English Dictionary. David Dale House, New Lanark, ML11 9DJ, Scotland.

Cynthia Measom, Demand Media