- Students do not know themselves. Many young people have little or no ideas about their strengths, weaknesses, values, personality and other parameters of themselves, which are factors to be considered before making career choices. They therefore blindly choose professions based on financial prospects.
- Students do not understand the world of work. The world of work has changed and always changing, however young people have little or no ideas about the world of work. The world of work comprises industries and occupations as well as trends to be observed. When students do not under the world of work, they choose any know professional with the hope of becoming financially successful.
- Students have little ideas about educational programmes and options. There are different types and levels of the education, with programmes of studies. The knowledge of the respective educational options and programmes by students determines their choices of programmes of studies either and the secondary or tertiary level.
- Students follow traditions and friends. When students do not know themselves; do not understand the world of work as well as the world of work, they follow traditional career path and friends. The follow the societal norms and choose to do what their peers are doing.
- There are few professionals to provide career guidance to students. Students need professional career coaching and guidance for their career development in the ever-changing world of the 21st century. Unfortunately, there are few career development professionals to help the numerous students develop and grow professionally. Career Guidance & Couselling units in the educational systems are ineffective to address the growing for career guidance for students. Students therefore end up making the wrong career choices, which eventually affects their future employability, leading to the increasing youth unemployment in the country.
To help students and young people make the right career decisions, career guidance programmes must be organised in the schools as well as in the communities. Establishing Career Centres in the schools and communities as well as training many career guidance professionals will go a long way to career guidance for the benefit of students and young people as they grow and prepare adequately for work in the 21st century.
It is now your turn to give me one reason why students choose the wrong career path. What is your reason?
EMMANUEL WOYOME is a leading Career Coach
