CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
In this era of unemployment, choosing the right career by young adolescents will pave way for employment opportunities for him or her in future. career preference of the young adolescent has become an area of interest because educational planners have become aware of the dangers and frustrations suffered by some adolescents who find themselves in wrong career selection (Alika & Egbochukwu, 2008). According to Agboola (2013), career selection is one of many important choices students will make in determining future plans. This decision might affect them throughout their lives. The essence of who the student is, will revolve around what he or she wants to do with his/her life-long work.
At adolescence stage people make their career related decisions which could have impact and consequences on the individuals vocational future, psychological well-being and even health. The skills needed to make appropriate career decisions are very central to the psychological adjustment of the adolescent. While some adolescents do this with ease, others may have difficulties in making appropriate choices. (Scott, Repucci, and Woodlard, 1995).
Career is a chosen pursuit, a life of work or success in a profession occupied by a person throughout his/her lifetime. In other words, career is the totality of work one does in his life time. (Ipaye, 2000). Career plays a very fundamental and significant role in the life of the individual not only because it determines the pattern of income but also affects the individual’s personality and concepts in life. A Career is the sequence of occupation in which one engages in. Some persons may retain or remain in the same occupation through their life span while others may have a series of life occupations. (Egbochuku, 2008). A career could also be defined as the sum total of life experience including paid or unpaid work, community, volunteer and family activities. Kinanee (2004). Therefore, career can be seen as a product of career preference. Career preference may be defined as the aspect or types of work that people show more interest in and will most likely improves in its, that is work people like doing or like to do; for example, some might prefer to be self-employed rather than work in an office. Egbochuku (2008) believes that the career a person prefers is an expression of the individual’s personality. In the sense that, the choice of career one prefers determines to a large extent, how time will be spent, who will be chosen as friends, what attitudes and values will be adopted, where one will reside and what pattern of family living will be adopted.
In Nigeria, many youths go into unsuitable careers due to ignorance, inexperience, peer pressure, parents and teachers influence and they may also prefer the prestige attached to certain jobs without considering mental abilities and personality traits. Salami, (2000). Consequently, many of them are unsuited for their careers as they usually find themselves in a job where they could not satisfy their needs. When this occurs, they are likely to become frustrated and constitute nuisance to themselves and the society. Such individuals are not likely to contribute meaningfully to the society and ultimately become liability to the nation.
Alika and Osa-Edoh (2009) identified parental attitude, parental income, peer pressure as factors influencing career choice. Student’s careers have equally been studied with different frameworks. Many of them have focused on parents education, occupation or home background (like family income, language or the home activities of the family and work methods). Adeyemo, (2001). Studied variables such as attitude, self-efficacy, self-esteem, self-concept or parents support such as motivation of wards, parental attitudes towards education, the aspiration of parents amidst these factors presumed to have relationship with career preference. Therefore, it becomes necessary to determine which of the factors that could relate with students career preference and of interest to the researcher is parental educational attainment and occupational status.