ABSTRACT Career education in secondary schools has received increasing attention, yet its practices in high‐stakes examination contexts (such as the Chinese college entrance examination) remain underexplored. This study addressed this gap by investigating graduates’ reflections on a typical career education program at a large high school in Mainland China using the CIPP (context, input, process, and product) model. Data were collected through in‐depth interviews with 15 graduates of varying academic achievement levels, who had participated in the program during its first 3 years of implementation. Thematic analysis uncovered the complex dynamics of program implementation and the program's role in students’ personal development and career navigation during a critical and stressful period. The findings have implications for enhancing the effectiveness of career education, suggesting that more proactive approaches can be taken in high‐stakes contexts, particularly through innovations in program planning, teacher expertise, and parental involvement.
Hou et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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