Influence Of Guidance And Counselling In Career Choice Of Secondary School Students
[EKITI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KWARA STATE]

In an empirical study conducted in Berim, Nigeria in 2007 it showed that the factors influencing career choice include money yielding, prospects, parental influences, prestige attached to the job, knowledge of various careers subjects offered and opportunities to work with other people the majority of students indicated career choice was influenced by academic ability other findings were that mass media in the country do not provide information about careers and career choices that the students were aware of the influence of personal characteristics on career choice and that the students preferred indoor work.
    In a study conducted by C.G Awujo (2007) in Benin City, Nigeria among the Secondary School Students, revealed that there is a significant relationship between parent child rearing patterns and secondary school students’ choice of career. By implication, secondary school students are placed in a better pedestal that will avail them the opportunity to appreciate parental child rearing patterns as part of the dynamics that come into play in career choice (Awujo, 2007).
    Sax (1994) examines students’ initial interest in scientific careers, factors influencing career choice during college, and how these factors differ between men and women. Men who abandon career aspirations appear to be driven by financial concerns, where as women who decide not to pursue scientific career choice is influenced by many factors, including life context personal attitudes and educational attainment. He contends further that whether college-bound or work bound meeting the challenger of this developmental milestone is critical in adolescents’ lives.
    Students all over the world are usually faced with the task of career decision making, the choice of careers subjects and courses of study in schools and of subsequent paths to follow is always difficult problems facing prospective undergraduates. Often choosing the right subject combination leading to the right progression can make the difference between enjoying and detesting the career in future. Dedicating oneself to career choices that are unattainable leads to frustration. Each individual undertaking the process 15 influenced by many factors, including the context in which they live their personal attitudes and educational attainment (Bandura, et al, 2001)
    According to Oguwewo (2007) the choice of career was gender based and the factors that influenced the students’ choice of career were interest life ambition, challenging nature of the career, prestige attached to profession, intellectual ability high salary potential and prospects of job opportunity. This argument drew implications on the need for every secondary school to have qualified school counsellors to employ their expertise to determine the attitude and interest of students in their career choice.
    Many students are heavily influenced by the professions that their parents favour others fellow the career paths that their educational choices have opened up for them, some choose to follow their passions, regardless of how much or how little money it will make them, others look to the career that pays them the highest salary (Hewitt, 2011).
    Parenting and early education has an immense influence on what career an individual will ultimately choose. If parents have overwhelmingly ultimately choose. If parents have overwhelmingly favoured a particular career path or limited selection of careers, it has a powerful psychological effect on their children; parents create the initial self-esteem of their child, which in most cases lasts the rest of their life. Throughout most of history, parents chose the future professions of their children (Hewitt, 2011).
    In the modern era, most students are encouraged to choose their am career paths, the economy develops to quickly that entirely new. Career paths have evolved, while others have died off or moved to other countries. The extensive education expected from modern workers also makes it nearly impossible for parents to fully manager their children and predetermine their career path. Despite this, many workers end up entering careers to satisfy the expectations of their parents, rather than to follow what they actually want to do (Hewitt, 2011).