Career Awareness and Preparedness among Secondary School Students in Quetta
A Descriptive Survey Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48112/bms.v3i1.1232Abstract
Abstract Views: 40
The concept of career awareness is very important for the development of students’ academic and career choices. Especially at the secondary school level, where students start making important life decisions regarding subject and career choices. The present study aims to determine the career awareness among high school students in Quetta, Pakistan. The research design is quantitative, with a descriptive survey method. Students studying in government secondary schools of Quetta were the population of the study. According to which, data were collected from schools by adopting a multigrade sampling method and from students by adopting a convenience sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used as the research instrument for this purpose. The result shows that the students had moderate to low career awareness. The majority of the students had very little information about career choices, career paths and labour market requirements. The most common sources of career information were family members and teachers, and formal career guidance services were mostly not available in schools. From these findings, the researcher realised that a lack of career awareness adversely affects the career choices of students. Therefore, systematic career guidance programs must be started at the secondary school level to promote career awareness and preparation of students. For this, from the school teacher and principal to the provincial government, their role should be played, and for this purpose, training of school teachers and career guidance programs should be started in schools.
Keywords:
Career Awareness, Secondary School Students, Career Guidance, Students’ PreparednessReferences
Asghar, S., & Ajmal, M. A. (2022). Adolescents’ career decision making: A qualitative study. Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 10(3), 952-967. https://doi.org/10.52131/pjhss.2022.1003.0259
Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (Eds.). (2012). Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work. John Wiley & Sons.
Coşkun, H. C. (2023). Reflection of the iceberg: Key issues and challenges of education in Balochistan. Culture, Education, and Future, 1(1), 47-65. https://doi.org/10.70116/298027413
Gati, I., & Asher, I. (2005). The PIC model for career decision making: Prescreening, in-depth exploration, and choice. In Contemporary models in vocational psychology (pp. 15-62). Routledge.
Gysbers, N. C., Heppner, M. J., & Johnston, J. A. (2014). Career counseling: Holism, diversity, and strengths. John Wiley & Sons.
Hashmi, S. S., Bano, K., & Ahmed, S. (2024). Influence of parental encouragement on the educational and career choices of their children. Social Science Review Archives, 2(2), 2412-2423. https://doi.org/10.70670/sra.v2i2.754
Hirschi, A. (2011). Career-choice readiness in adolescence: Developmental trajectories and individual differences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79(2), 340-348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2011.05.005
Kanwal, A. (2023). Challenges to Career Counseling in Pakistan: Implication for Career Pathway. Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review, 7(2), 806-819. https://doi.org/10.47205/plhr.2023(7-II)71
Keshf, Z., & Khanum, S. (2021). Career guidance and counseling needs in a developing country’s context: A qualitative study. Sage Open, 11(3), 21582440211040119. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211040119
Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79-122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027
Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (2000). Contextual supports and barriers to career choice: A social cognitive analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(1), 36–49. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.47.1.36
Patton, W., & McMahon, M. (2014). Career development and systems theory: Connecting theory and practice (Vol. 2). Springer.
Sattar, S., Mushtaq, N., Mushtaq, A., & Taga, A. S. (2025). Access under Constraint: Barriers Shaping Female Participation in Higher Education in Rural Balochistan. Review of Applied Management and Social Sciences, 8(4), 1551-1575. https://doi.org/10.47067/ramss.v8i4.586
Savickas, M. L. (2013). Career construction theory and practice. Career development and counseling: Putting Theory and Research to Work, 2(1), 144-180.
Super, D. E. (1980). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 16(3), 282-298. https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-8791(80)90056-1
Watts, A. G., & Sultana, R. G. (2004). Career guidance policies in 37 countries: Contrasts and common themes. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 4(2), 105-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-005-1025-y
Whiston, S. C., & Keller, B. K. (2004). The influences of the family of origin on career development: A review and analysis. The Counseling Psychologist, 32(4), 493-568. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000004265660
Zahid, G., Hooley, T., & Neary, S. (2020). Careers work in higher education in Pakistan: Current practice and options for the future. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 48(4), 443-453. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2019.1576030
Zeb, A., Ali, A., Jan, A., & Khan, I. U. (2020). Factors affecting the career aspirations of secondary school students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Society, Education and Language (PJSEL), 6(2), 2523-1227.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Bulletin of Multidisciplinary Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
