Academia.eduAcademia.edu
European Journal of Education Studies ISSN: 2501 - 1111 ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111 Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1048356 Volume 3 │Issue 11│2017 INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL FACTORS ON VOCATIONAL CAREER CHOICES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS IN KENYA - A SURVEY OF CATHOLIC PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN NAKURU DIOCESE Oloo Antone Onyangoi, Adhiambo Jacinta, M., Anyona Jared Ntabo Faculty of Education, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate influence of social factors on vocational career choices of students in Catholic-sponsored technical institutions located in the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, Kenya. The study was guided by the research question: What is the influence of social factors on vocational career choices in the aforementioned institutions? The study was grounded on Krumboltz theory of social learning. The empirical literature covered various societal factors. A Convergent parallel mixed method design was used whereby 292 respondents participated in the study. Purposive, stratified and simple random sampling techniques were applied in sampling of institutions, administrators, teachers and students respectively. For data collection, interview guides were used for teachers and principals while questionnaires were employed to facilitate data collection from students. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences programme was used to aid analysis of quantitative data from the students while qualitative data from teachers and principals were organized into themes. Analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data were done independently then mixed at the end during interpretation. The study revealed that 91.6% of students are influenced by immediate people they interact with. It was also found that 55.6% never had prior working experience. The study revealed that as family and friends influence students in technical and vocational training institutions there is still a large number (49.3%) who make choices according to their own personal interest. Majority of Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. © 2015 – 2017 Open Access Publishing Group 173 Oloo Antone Onyango, Adhiambo Jacinta, M., Anyona Jared Ntabo INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL FACTORS ON VOCATIONAL CAREER CHOICES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS IN KENYA - A SURVEY OF CATHOLIC PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN NAKURU DIOCESE the students (61.8%) perceived the courses they were pursuing as being very difficult but also marketable. Electrical installation was found to have the highest number of enrollment for national examinations followed by mechanics. The study recommended to Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to introduce subjects at high school level that could expose students to vocational careers. It was further recommended that technical institutions should come up with guiding policies on how to help and streamline student’s choices on vocational careers. Keywords: Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, social factors, technical institutions, vocational career choices 1. Introduction Unemployment is becoming an issue of major concern in our daily life especially with increased yearly output of graduates from our tertiary institutions and universities. One way to curb this problem is to expand more areas that can create employment opportunities such as training more in vocational careers which offer skills. During the last 70th session of the United Nation summit on Sustainable Development Goals (UNESCO, 2015), ending of global economic poverty was highlighted and creation of employment to all youths suggested as one of the key solutions. In addition, one of the means to create more employment was identified through promoting vocational technical training at all levels (UNESCO, 2015) This was the only way to assure the youths’ possibility of both employment and self-employment depending on the skill learnt is guaranteed. In other parts of the world, vocational training is also viewed as the best alternative to curb the problem of unemployment among the youths despite challenges youths face in choosing different vocational careers. The biggest challenge relative to vocational training systems in Vietnam was found to be progress from secondary level to tertiary level. There were lessons that are more theoretical in secondary level on technical vocation training which disadvantaged the students when they joined technical institutions. The Vietnam government had to change this system of technical education approach and make it more practical at secondary level in order to promote more students to take vocational training at tertiary level. In Europe, the situation is different according to TVET (Technical and vocational education training) and skill development report by European Union (EU, 2012). In this report, the main focus for TVET training is for promotion of job creation, decent work, rights at work and social protection. From the report, European TVET programs are the European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 11│ 2017 174 Oloo Antone Onyango, Adhiambo Jacinta, M., Anyona Jared Ntabo INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL FACTORS ON VOCATIONAL CAREER CHOICES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS IN KENYA - A SURVEY OF CATHOLIC PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN NAKURU DIOCESE most well- funded than any other regions followed by Asia, central Asia and the Pacific. One main success from the report in Europe is the realization of how globalization is changing the face of TVET programs due to the ever- changing technology in the industrial sector. Furthermore, the idea of EU member states adopting the idea of supporting quality TVET and skills education has encouraged the youths not to shy away from choosing vocational careers. African governments need to put a lot of efforts in funding TVET program in order to promote vocational training right from high schools to tertiary institutions. Mensah, Mettle & Ayima (2014) did a study in Ghana and focused on factors that influence career choices in vocational courses. They stressed that governments should encourage vocational training because they give youth opportunities to get employable skills thus reducing economic poverty and changing attitudes towards vocational occupation. Unfortunately, most high schools focus on making students to qualify for university entries and give less attention to vocational oriented subjects hence, creating an attitude that vocational courses are second in terms of priority. The Kenya’s report for the 4 Ministerial Conference for Youth employment dwelt very much on how to improve vocational skills among the youths (Kaane, 2014). One of the most important finding cited was the mismatch of vocational courses taken by the youth in our technical training verses the industrial skill demand on the labour market. On the same note, Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions, (KATTI, 2015) stresses that investing in TVET (Technical and Vocational Education Training) education equips learners with skills and competence that are relevant to the world of work today. Table 1 as adapted from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows how government investment on TVET education has been reducing from the year 2011 to 2016 contrary to what KATTI (2015) report suggest. The table clearly shows an increase on ministerial expenditure in other levels like primary, secondary, university and Higher Education leaving technical education on the lower side. According to World Bank (World Bank, 2004) report on strengthening the foundation of education and training in Kenya, vocational training was recognized to offer parallel opportunities either as alternatives to the general education or as after school training. The report clarified vocational institutions as starting from youth polytechnic offering artisan and craft courses, then progressing to middle level colleges offering certificates and diplomas and finally where possible university education. In order for successful vocational training to take place effectively, vocational career guidance has to be done in order to guide learners on choosing the right career path. An investigation into this problem was to be done in order to identify and recommend how European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 11│ 2017 175 Oloo Antone Onyango, Adhiambo Jacinta, M., Anyona Jared Ntabo INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL FACTORS ON VOCATIONAL CAREER CHOICES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS IN KENYA - A SURVEY OF CATHOLIC PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN NAKURU DIOCESE the influencing factors can be dealt with by administrators in order to assist learners in technical institutions make the correct choices in their career selection. There is a great need to boost enrolment and effectiveness of training through better student training match in both public and private institutions. According to Hicks, Mbiti and Miguel (2011) in their work on vocational education voucher delivery and labour market returns, public vocational training institutions tend to focus more on traditional skills like constructions, mechanics, tailoring and plumbing among others; while private institutions, are narrower in scope but allow students to specialize in specific skills like computer software. In Nakuru, technical institutions have tried to address these needs by offering practical courses such as motor-vehicle mechanics, plumbing, electrical engineering, painting, tailoring and dress making among others; especially in Catholic sponsored institutions. The Catholic Church is trying very much at its capacity to respond to the needs of the society especially in this area of promoting vocational training among the youths. Whether public or private vocational careers need to be promoted as once students are trained in either institution, they contribute towards meeting one of the sustainable development goals. That is eradication of poverty through promotion of skills which will lead to either self-employment or becoming employed. For viewing / downloading the full article, please access the following link: https://oapub.org/edu/index.php/ejes/article/view/1183 European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 11│ 2017 176