ABSTRACT

Career Awareness and Preferences among Secondary School Leavers in Brunei Darussalam

Dr. Chandrasaegan Suppiah and A. Lourdsumay

Career plays a dominant role in shaping and directing one's life path and eventually determining the quality of life. Being satisfied with ones career is one of the most important aspects of an individual's life and personal happiness. Career awareness and information related to careers are important to students especially at the secondary level. However, the question is do students at the secondary school level have sufficient awareness and information regarding their career orientation? How and what should the school do in career education? Before we can make any recommendations regarding the roles of school in providing career guidance and counselling for students, it is essential that concrete data is obtained regarding career concerns and awareness among school leavers at the secondary school level. This paper reports the findings of a survey if 625 students from 15 secondary schools in the Brunie-maura, Tutong and Kuala Belait districts of Brunei Darrussalam. The main aim of this study is to investigate general background information related to career awareness such as, reasons for choice if stream, career ambition, choice after completion of form 5, influential person in career selection, factors considered important in career selection, the role of school career guidance services, career plans and preferred employment sectors among Form 5 students in Brunei Darrussalam. Differences in Career perception with respect to academic stream, academic ability, gender and ethnicity are also examined.

Asian Psychological Services and Assessment (APSA)

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