Vocational Self-perception in High School Students: A Descriptive Study

Autopercepción vocacional en estudiantes de secundaria: un estudio descriptivo

Resumen

The objective of this study was to determine the level of vocational self-perception in fifth year high school students of an educational unit in the municipality of Vinto. The research was framed within the positivist paradigm, with a non-experimental and descriptive design. We worked with a sample of 108 students, and used the Vocational Self-Perception Scale, a validated and reliable instrument that evaluates factors such as knowledge of the career, security in the choice, family and social influence, economic and social conditioning factors, and vocational indecision.

The results revealed that 83% of the students present an undefined vocational self-perception, which indicates a marked lack of clarity regarding their professional choice. Likewise, it was identified that, although many students possess basic information about careers, confusion and external influence persist. Factors such as the reputation of the career, the desire to satisfy family expectations and the interest in a good economic remuneration have a considerable influence on their decisions. In spite of this, the majority demonstrate interest and motivation towards related areas.