Career Planning Abilities of Lower Secondary School Students in Thailand

Abstract

          Career planning which involves career development is life-long and flexible cycle process and begins early in a child’s life. This survey research used the 3Ds Career Planning Questionnaires to explore abilities and needs to learn of the career planning of 480 multi-stage-sampling samples of secondary school students around Thailand. This research article presents students’ response regarding their perceptions of (1) the awareness of career planning, (2) who they would approach for help with career planning and (3) the abilities to comprehend the career planning process. Research findings indicate career planning is essentially important to the students; they most likely rely on their parents, friends and social media for help with career planning such as career decision-making or gathering relevant information and support; and their comprehension of three-stage career planning process are significantly high in doing stage, diagnosing stage and designing stage respectively. However, there are some comprehensions in each stage project the career planning abilities in average level such as the abilities to see their future in 5-10 years, to do short-term career planning, and to let the other person involve in career plan evaluation. Results suggest that career planning programs need to begin at lower secondary school level; students need to be involved in program planning and evaluating; and the interactions between parents, schools, and communities should be discussed.