Factors Associated with Career Track Choice of Senior High School Students

Selecting a career track is crucial and must be thought of carefully because of its long-term impact on an individual’s future career. With the implementation of the K to 12 program in the Philippines, students need to choose from four career tracks before entering senior high school (SHS). Knowing the factors that may influence students’ career track choices can be helpful in the development of strategies that may help them make intelligent decisions. In this study, data from 3,813 Grade 11 students were analyzed to determine the variables associated with career track choice and the extent of influence of factors using descriptive, correlation, and correspondence analyses. Results showed that the intended course in college is strongly associated with SHS track/strand choice. Personal preference and parent’s influence are shown to be important factors. Socio-demographic variables such as sex, age, birth order, number of siblings, and monthly family income have a moderate association with the SHS track/strand choice. Likewise, parents’ highest educational attainment, the course taken in college, current occupation, and the student’s academic performance in several subjects (e.g. Filipino, English, Math, and Science) have a moderate linear relationship with SHS track/strand choice.