Influence of Student’s Interest on Career Choice among First Year University Students in Public and Private Universities in Kisii County, Kenya

Abstract

Career choice has lately become a very complicated science, considering that the decision is influenced by numerous factors. Yet, choosing the right career is important in ensuring that individuals lead rewarding lives, are motivated at their jobs and can achieve remarkable productivity, thus setting the stage for organizational success and sustainability. Given the importance of making the right career choice, it is imperative that individuals are aware of the factors that influence such weighty decisions and do so from a point of knowledge. The present study sought to examine the influence of interest on career choice decisions among first year university students. To address this objective, the study utilised two hundred and ninety six (296) first year students selected from six universities. The Respondents were selected using purposive as well as systematic sampling approaches within the descriptive survey design. They responded to a specially designed questionnaire and the data collected were analyzed descriptively using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences as the main tool of analysis. The study concludes that student interest is significant in determining career choice decisions for an individual’s career.

Keywords: Career, career choice, influence, interest, motivation.