Abstract
Aim: In this mixed-methods study we explore the design, implementation, and impact of a career guidance intervention for Grade 9 learners in limited-resource high schools in South Africa during the 2021 and 2022 post-COVID-19 pandemic period. The study underscores the critical need for appropriate career guidance resources in these communities and evaluates the effectiveness of a self-directed career guidance booklet. Career guidance is a pivotal component of educational development, particularly in the transitioning phase of Grade 9 when learners are making foundational decisions for their future academic and career paths. In South Africa, the disparity in access to career guidance services between well-resourced and resource-poor schools remains a significant challenge. With the political transition in 1994, one of the serious casualties in the higher education system was the differential access to career guidance. Before 1994, only the historically white schools had full-time trained guidance teachers. In contrast, no career guidance was provided in black schools. When the country entered the political transitional period, the role of the guidance teacher was abandoned due to shifting priorities, and virtually no guidance was offered in schools (Naidoo et al. 2017). With new policy developments, Career Guidance has been included as a part of the Life Orientation (LO) curriculum from Grade R to Grade 12 since 2002. While impressive in its scope, several limitations to effective Career Guidance have been identified, such as the LO curriculum being limited in time to two hours a week with Career Guidance comprising only one-quarter of the curriculum in Grades 10–12. Moreover, schools in rural and township settings may not have access to adequate resources and ICT facilities. In such low-resourced communities, Career Guidance has become marginalised and ineffective and may obscure social justice concerns. Indications are that in the prevailing absence of career guidance services in many public schools and due to challenges faced in their homes and community contexts, many learners are making uninformed and haphazard decisions about their school subject choices that may severely constrain their career development trajectory and stymie their future career options.
Method: This study used a cross-sectional, mixed-methods research design. A survey design was used for the quantitative component of the study to obtain information about the intervention. Sequentially, a deductive qualitative survey design was used to identify in-depth themes about the feasibility and acceptability data of the intervention. The study was conducted in eight low-income communities in the wider Cape Town area. The communities where the schools are located are characterised by high levels of poverty, unemployment, and associated consequences such as high school dropout rates. The participants in the study were recruited through convenience sampling. In 2021 and 2022, the intervention was delivered to 4 310 Grade 9 learners from the eight secondary schools, and a subsample of n = 1 471 participants (34%) provided feedback on the intervention. This subsample forms the unit of analysis in this study and is reported for each year of implementation (i.e., 2021 and 2022). Data were collected after completion of the intervention using a paper-and-pencil semi-quantitative evaluation form developed specifically for this study. The form consists of 10 questions about participants’ experience of the intervention. Quantitative data analysis was conducted by entering the paper-and-pencil data into Microsoft Excel (using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences [SPSS] Version 27), for data cleaning. After this, each measure of the evaluation form was analysed by frequency analyses and descriptive statistics to determine participants’ systematic feedback on the intervention. For the qualitative component, the data (i.e., written responses to open-ended questions) were entered verbatim into ATLAS.ti for analysis.
Findings from the 2021 and 2022 cohorts demonstrate a predominantly positive impact of the self-directed career guidance booklet intervention, emphasising its significance in promoting vocational readiness and facilitating self-exploration among adolescents. Quantitative results indicated favourable feedback about the participants’ (Grade 9 learners) experience with completing the self-directed career guidance booklet. In 2021, the scores on participants’ experience of completing the booklet ranged between 10,00 and 39,00. A composite mean score of 29,12 (out of 40) was reported, scoring at the 72nd percentile, indicating predominantly positive experiences with completing the self-directed booklet. In 2022 there was an improvement with the average scores varying between 4,00 and 20,00. We obtained a composite average score of 31,14 (out of 40), which scored at the 78th percentile. Similar to the previous year, 2022’s data also indicated positive experiences with completing the self-directed booklet. Qualitative findings showed participants’ meaningful feedback indicating that the intervention created an opportunity for self-exploration. Participants indicated the significant impact of the activities of the intervention, such as that the personality-related section led to improved self-knowledge and that exposure to different career options and fields of study offered them new options for their future. Despite the positive results, significant barriers persist, including inadequate coverage of career guidance in the Life Orientation curriculum, limited access to online resources due to lack of accessibility after school hours, and other socio-economic constraints such as data expenses for online searches. The study underscores the importance of in-person discussions and the role of competent guidance providers in addressing learners’ questions about career and subject choices. However, systemic issues such as overcrowded classrooms, insufficient teacher training, and the high dropout rate exacerbate the challenge of providing effective career guidance.
Conclusion: The study on career guidance for adolescent learners in South Africa, carried out in a country still grappling with the complexities of its democratic transition almost three decades later, provided valuable insights. Despite the opening of educational opportunities after apartheid, a significant proportion of high school students remain underserved in terms of access to crucial educational resources and services. The negative effect of this gap in their ability to make informed decisions regarding their future careers is clear. The research, aimed at implementing a career guidance intervention for Grade 9 learners, facilitating their subject selection process for the final phase of high school, revealed several key findings. Participants reported significant benefits from engaging in various activities and using a self-directed manual with corresponding online resources. These sources were instrumental in their decision-making processes. The mix of qualitative and quantitative feedback highlighted the positive impact of these resources on vital components of career maturity. These include improvements in self-knowledge and awareness, aligning personal interests with career aspirations, and exploring various academic avenues. Notably, while the resources were recognised as valuable, learners emphasised the necessity of direct/personal conversations with educators and programme facilitators. This need underlines the importance of contextualising the provided materials and activities within their specific life situations. Although the increased demand for personal discussions may partly stem from the isolation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, existing literature emphasises the importance of interactive and involved learning environments for career guidance. Finally, this research sheds light on the urgent need for comprehensive and equitable career guidance services in South Africa, highlighting it as a crucial social justice issue. It calls for a strategic focus on overcoming barriers to access and enhancing the quality of guidance provided to learners from low-income communities. To engage with this social justice, if not human right, the imperative is to turn an existing null or deficit environment into a supportive, engaging one with the requisite resources and services to foster the career aspirations of South Africa’s future generations.
Keywords: career guidance; career guidance intervention; challenges; high school learners; human rights; low-income communities; Life Orientation; mixed method
- This article’s featured image was created by James Wheeler and obtained from Pexels.
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