ASSESSMENT OF CAREER CHOICES AND PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION GOALS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Keywords:
career assessment, professional orientation, university studiesAbstract
Career assessment is an important process that helps individuals reflect on their experiences, skills, and achievements in the professional field. It aids in identifying strengths and weaknesses, facilitating decision-making for future development (Super, 1990). On the other hand, the goal of professional orientation is a necessary step for those who wish to build a successful career. This process involves exploring various possibilities, setting clear objectives, and developing a plan to achieve them (Brown & Ryan Krane, 2000). Together, these two concepts help individuals create a clear pathway to professional success.
The methodology used in this study is qualitative. The aim of the study is to analyze the goal of professional orientation among students based on their career assessment. The sample consists of 1,394 students from various cities in North Macedonia, including 895 females and 499 males, aged 14-19 years. Career assessment was reported by students with a mean score (M=14.00), a minimum value (Min=5.00), and a maximum value (Max=20.00). The majority, 34.3%, plans to pursue university studies, 3.2% plan to pursue non-formal education (vocational training), 18.3% stated it is too early to think in this direction, while 4.3% do not plan to pursue university studies. ANOVA showed significant statistical differences (p<.000) among students with different mean career assessment scores regarding their goals for professional orientation.
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