Undergraduate Thesis Bachelor of Secondary Education University of Rizal System, Rodriguez, Rizal 2014

This study aimed to determine the science related career preferences of graduating students in District I, Rodriguez Rizal school year 2014-2015 and the factors affecting their career preferences.

This was conducted with 200 randomly selected graduating students in 5 (five) public secondary schools in District 1, Rodriguez Rizal. The researchers limited their study on natural science career based on the course offering of different tertiary schools in the country.

The study utilized descriptive survey and evaluative method of research with the use of the validated questionnaire checklist as the main instrument in gathering the data. The questionnaire checklist is divided into four parts, first part is the letter for the respondents, second part has something to do with their profile; third part contains their science related career preferences, and last contains factors influencing their career preferences in which, they were asked to rate the enumerated factors. The researchers also did documentary analysis on copy of class records to get the recent grade in science subject of the respondents.

The researchers then tallied the gathered data and asked the expertise of their Statistician to guide them in providing needed Statistical Treatment. To determine the profile of the respondents and their career preferences, Ranking, Frequency and Percentage distribution were used. Computed mean was used to determine the factors affecting their career preferences; and Chi-Square was used to determine if there is a significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and their career preferences.

Based on the analysis of the gathered data, the following findings were summarized and interpreted.

On the profile of the respondents in terms of sex, male respondents outnumbered female respondents; Most of the respondents got 80-84 as their recent grade in science; Most of the respondents have High School Graduate parents and most work as construction worker and driver; A Greater number of the respondents belonged to the family that have less than 10, 000Php monthly income; and most have 5 or more that siblings. On the science related career preferences, biology is most preferred by the respondents, followed by chemistry and marine biology. Geology is the least preferred course of the respondents. As to the factors affecting the respondents career preferences findings revealed that in terms of personal factors, personal plan/goal and personal interest/passion covered the top spot with the same weighted mean of 3.45 and verbally interpreted as Agree. In terms of family factors, parent's occupation ranked first with 4.12 weighted mean and agree as verbal interpretation. In terms of social factors, parental advice ranked first carrying 4.26 weighted mean and verbally interpreted as strongly agree, teachers' encouragement ranked second with the weighted mean of 3.45 and Agree as verbal interpretation...

Among the three categories, the study revealed that Family Factors are the greatest factor to influence the respondents' career preferences carrying the average mean of 3.525; followed by Social factors with 3.462 average mean with both Agree as verbal interpretation; and the least, Personal Factors with the computed mean of 3.324 and Fairly Agree as verbal interpretation.

On the significant relationship between the profiles of the respondents, the study revealed that there are significance in terms of recent grade in science, parents' educational attainment and occupation but not in sex, monthly income of the family and number of siblings.

Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn:

Most of the respondents are male; most of them have average range of grades; a great number of the respondents have high school graduate parents and worked as construction worker; most of them belong to the family that have less than 10,000Php monthly income; most of the respondents have 5 or more than siblings. Most of the responderits prefer Biology as their science related careers.

Student's personal plan/goal and interest/passion are big factors in choosing their own career in life. Personally, their academic preparedness and achievements are also factors affecting their career preference.

Their parents educational attainment and occupation and home/family situation can also be considered factors influencing the career preferences of the students

Socially, parents are the greatest to influence the students' career preferences; however teacher's encouragement and media influence also play a role in a student's career preference.

It can also be concluded that students' career preferences is dependent on their recent grade in science and parents' educational attainment and occupation but not dependent on sex, monthly income of the family and number of siblings.
Most of the responderits prefer Biology as their science related careers.

Student's personal plan/goal and interest/passion are big factors in choosing their own career in life. Personally, their academic preparedness and achievements are also factors affecting their career preference.

Their parents educational attainment and occupation and home/family situation can also be considered factors influencing the career preferences of the students

Socially, parents are the greatest to influence the students' career preferences; however teacher's encouragement and media influence also play a role in a student's career preference.

It can also be concluded that students' career preferences is dependent on their recent grade in science and parents' educational attainment and occupation but not dependent on sex, monthly income of the family and number of siblings.

In light of the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are drawn:

Graduating High School Students should give importance to their career choices and should explore different field and areas like Natural Science-Related Careers considering their own plan or goal and personal interest or passion. They should also look for quality education and prepare academically for success in post-secondary education; with all these they will be able to obtain better jobs, better income and brighter future. vii

Parents should guide and encourage their children to explore different fields. Their advice in choosing a career is very powerful, they should encourage their children considering not only a "wise career choice but also different factors, especially their children's interest and passion.

Since the study revealed that Socially, Parents. Teachers and Peers influence one's career choice, the secondary school administrators should provide career counselling and other similar programs enlightening not only the students but also parents and teachers in the importance of choosing a proper career path.

The tertiary school administrators should look in to the possibility of offering different Natural Science Based Courses which will open opportunity to the students to pursue their preferred careers in the said field.

Teachers should help their students to be academically prepared for post-secondary schools at the same time help them enhance their innate talents and passion. They should also actively participate in enlightening their students on the importance of choosing the right career.

Future Researchers are encouraged to do a parallel study using different variables for them to be able to explore the field of career choices and be aware of the possible remedy on career failures.