Understanding Career Aspirations through the Lens of Cultural Values
Keywords:
Cultural Values, Career Aspirations, Career Guidance, Cultural Influence, Secondary SchoolAbstract
This paper entitled "Understanding career aspirations through the lens of cultural values," investigates how deeply held cultural values influence the career dreams and goals of secondary school students in Douala III municipality. Three specific objectives gave focus to the study: To examine how the career aspiration of secondary school students in Douala III municipality is influenced by cultural values; to explore the challenges and barriers faced by secondary school students in Douala III municipality in incorporating customs, traditional beliefs, and practices in choosing a future career; and to bring out strategies to enable secondary school students to integrate cultural values into their career aspirations. Two theories were adopted to explain the concept of this study. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. Data was collected from 120 secondary students from few schools in Douala III municipality using the simple convenient random sampling technique by using questionnaires and semi – structured interviews. The data was analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics, presented in figures, percentages and means and thematic analyses for qualitative insights. Findings revealed that individualistic values have more influence on career aspirations compared to communal and family values indicated by 60.58% (mean=2.29) response rate. Also, 63.83% (mean=2.73) response rate revealed that students face significant challenges in integrating cultural values in career aspirations. However, strategies to inculcate cultural values gave a positive responsive rate of 68.17% and a mean score of 2.86 respectively. We recommended that understanding these dynamics is essential for teachers, career advisors, and policymakers to provide support that truly resonates with student’s life experiences. Tailoring support in career development can empower young people to pursue careers that are both personally fulfilling and culturally meaningful.
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