TITLE:
Occupational Information Knowledge Levels among Secondary School Students in Uganda
AUTHORS:
Anne Otwine, Ainamaani Elvis Herbert, Aheisebwe Irene, Matagi Leonsio
KEYWORDS:
Students, Secondary Schools, Occupational Information, Career Life Transition, Uganda
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.11 No.7,
July
14,
2023
ABSTRACT: Youth
unemployment challenge remains a problem in Middle Income and Low-Income
Countries (LICs) despite the existence of career guidance and counselling
services in schools. A quasi-experiment was conducted in four major secondary
schools in southwestern Uganda among students receiving advanced level
education. A total of 89 students were enrolled into treatment group, and 72 in
control group that were randomly selected. Treatment group received career
guidance and counselling sensitisation based occupational information contained in National Occupational
Information Coordinating Committee
(NOICC) competencies and indicators (1976). A checklist was modified from NOICC
competencies and indicators and used to assess students’ occupational
information knowledge. Results revealed no significant occupational information knowledge difference between
treatment and control groups. However, occupational information
knowledge gaps were detected in competencies for understanding the impact of growth and development, need
for positive attitudes toward work and learning, and understanding how societal
needs and functions influence the nature and structure of work; and
understanding the interrelationship of life roles on career life decisions.
Therefore, increasing occupational information sensitisation for students in
schools focusing on current changing work demands and technology may improve career
transition among students and reduce youth unemployment challenge being
experienced globally.