The influence of family birth order on the career choices of students at the University of Zululand
The current study examines the influence of family birth order on the career choices of students at the University of Zululand. The objectives of the study were: • To establish the extent to which family birth order influence students’ career choices. • To determine whether there is a relationship between the students’ characteristics such as age, gender, race and their career choices. Data was collected using both qualitative and quantitative methodology. The convenience sampling was employed in selecting the thirty students for the study. To collect data unstructured, semi-structured interview questions were formulated and a self-administered questionnaire to address objective number two, Interview questions consisted of close-ended and open-ended questions-which were conducted to the students in determining the influence of their family birth order on their career choices. Qualitative data analysis was employed in order to draw conclusion about the influence of the students’ family birth order on their career choices. Research findings led to the following inferences: Family birth order of students has an influence on their career choices. Some students believed that had they been born before or after their original birth order in the family, they would have chosen a different career. Others believed their birth order position had somehow pressured them to choose different a career from what they had always wanted to do. Other students mentioned that even though their birth order was that of a youngest child in the family, they somehow felt the pressure that is said to be expected by the first born in the family; hence they chose careers that were typically assumed by the first-borns. The findings also revealed that some participants chose their careers because their siblings had followed the same career paths and so they felt it was better to pursue similar a career path as their siblings. Age was one of the factors that might have had an influence on their career choices, the students revealed that their age did play a significant role on their career choices, that if it was not for their age they would have chosen their seemingly “dream careers”. The findings revealed that most students felt their race had an influence on their career choices and that they still felt that if they were a different race, more opportunities were going to be offered to them to choose the careers they wanted. The results revealed that there is a gap between career orientation and the students’ career choices. The findings also revealed that there is a need for psycho-career education for students at the university right from before they enroll in their first year. Based on the findings, recommendations for career counseling, psycho-career education, a more active career guidance center were put forward in order to empower students with career guidance and development.
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