s10447-024-09549-0

International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-024-09549-0
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Factors Influencing Career Interests and Choices of High

School Adolescents in Tamale, Northern Ghana
Barnabas Atangongo1 · Enoch Teye‑Kwadjo1,2 · Joana Larry‑Afutu1
Accepted: 19 February 2024

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024
Abstract
Each year, thousands of high school adolescents in Ghana apply for placement into
senior high schools via the Computerised School Selection and Placement Sys-
tem (CSSPS) by choosing subject bouquets that have the potential to determine
their career interests and subsequent university majors, with little or no guidance
from career counselling and assessment professionals. The vocational interest lit-
erature has shown that young people develop their career interests and engage in
career aspirations much earlier in life. Yet, studies exploring the career interests and
choices of high school adolescents in Ghana are sparse. This study aimed to identify
the career interests of senior high school (SHS) students in the Tamale Metropoli-
tan Area of northern Ghana and to explore the factors that influence those interests.
Data were collected through qualitative interviews with 31 students. Reflexive the-
matic analysis was used to analyse the data. The students expressed interest in vari-
ous careers such as becoming agricultural extension officers, medical doctors, teach-
ers, engineers, soldiers, footballers, bank managers, journalists and musicians. Other
findings showed that family, socio-cultural factors, personal interest and academic
programmes pursued at the SHS had important influences on the career interests and
choices of the students. Findings suggest a need for career fairs for high school ado-
lescents as well as group career counselling for students and their parents/guardians.
Furthermore, the CSSPS could embed a career interest assessment tool in the first
step of the application process, which, in turn, would automatically direct applicants
to courses that align well with their vocational interests.
Keywords Vocational interest · Career choice · Career assessment · Career

exploration · Career counselling
Young adults’ vocational/career interests are of great importance to counselling and

personnel psychologists, as they guide future career decision-making (Nye, 2022).
According to Holland (1966), vocational interests describe “the expression of per-
sonality in work, hobbies, recreational activities, and preferences” (p. 3). Rounds
Extended author information available on the last page of the article
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and Su (2014) defined vocational interests as “traitlike preferences to engage in

activities, contexts in which activities occur, or outcomes associated with preferred
activities that motivate goal-oriented behaviors and orient individuals toward certain
environments” (p. 98). Stated simply, vocational interests reflect the degree to which
people prefer certain career choices or activities (Schermer, 2016).
Early seminal work proposed that most people look for work in occupational
environments that match their vocational interests (Holland, 1959, 1997). Voca-
tional interests are stable over time (i.e., they rarely change over time or they remain
relatively the same with increasing age) and have been found to positively predict
performance, success, and career and educational choices (Hoff et al., 2020; Rounds
& Su, 2014; Su, 2019). Various studies have shown that young adults develop their
vocational interests and engage in career aspirations much earlier in life (Hartung
et al., 2005; Porfeli & Vondracek, 2007; Skorikov & Patton, 2007; Watson & McMa-
hon, 2005). A meta-analysis found that vocational interests attained a 50.8% hit rate
of predicting career decision-making and concluded that interest assessments are
critical to educational and occupational decision-making (Hanna & Rounds, 2020).
Another meta-analysis of 92 studies reported that the interest—career choice con-
gruence is a stronger determinant of performance outcomes (Nye et al., 2017).
Studies examining the vocational interests and career explorations of high school
adolescents in Ghana are sparse. A related challenge is that the limited studies avail-
able have employed quantitative research designs, denying the participants opportu-
nities to provide detailed descriptions of their vocational interests and career explo-
rations. For example, Owusu (2020) examined the career aspirations of high school
adolescents in the Berekum Municipality of Ghana using a quantitative methodol-
ogy and found that peers and parents had the greatest influence on the career aspi-
rations of the learners and that teachers did not see themselves as having a role to
play in learners’ career aspirations. Similarly, Annan-Kittoe (2019) investigated
the vocational interests of female high school adolescents in the Sekondi-Takoradi
Metropolis of Ghana regarding careers in accounting, using a quantitative approach.
The authors found that personal motivation and having a role model in the account-
ing profession were considered by the participants to be key determinants of career
interests in accounting. Other career-interest quantitative studies in Ghana have also
been conducted on university student populations. Morgan et al. (2023) assessed the
career interests of 617 university students using the African Career Interest Inven-
tory (ACII) developed in South Africa (see Morgan et al., 2015) and found validity
and reliability evidence for the ACII in the Ghanaian university sample. Similarly,
some studies among university students in Ghana found that intrinsic factors and
financial prospects predicted career choice, whereas extrinsic and interpersonal fac-
tors did not (Owusu et al., 2018; Woasey, 2015).
The limited vocational interest studies among young people in Ghana come
against the background that each year, thousands of junior high school adolescents
in Ghana apply for placement into senior high schools (MyJoyOnline.com, 2023a)
via the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS; https://
cssps.gov.gh/) by making choices from various subject bouquets (e.g. general sci-
ence, business, general arts, visual arts, home economics, agricultural science and
technical and vocational studies) that have the potential to influence their career
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pathways, with little or no guidance from career counselling and assessment pro-
fessionals. The choice of subject bouquets to pursue is influenced substantially by
parents, peers and significant others (Avedzi, 2023; CitiNewsroom, 2023) because
professional career counselling for young people at this stage of their life is non-
existent in Ghana. A related problem is that many a time, students’ preferred courses
that align well with their vocational interests are denied them by officials overseeing
the computerised selection and placement process because the officials engage in
various scandals that have brought the CSSPS into disrepute (see Ghanaweb, 2023a;
MyJoyOnline.com, 2023b; Welsing, 2023). Additionally, the CSSPS can offer stu-
dents subject bouquets that have no link to their vocational interests on the grounds
that students’ Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) cut-off aggregates
(i.e. results) would not allow them to pursue those courses that align with their voca-
tional interests. Thus, the CSSPS prioritises an applicant’s BECE results as guaran-
tee for a course at the senior high school level over and above the applicant’s interest
in that course.
Consequently, the mismatch between high school students’ vocational interests
and the subject bouquets chosen for them to study can lead to frustrations and poor
academic performance with implications for their career decision-making (Koom-
son & Senyah, 2022). For example, the Ghana News Agency (2022a, b) recently
reported that hundreds of students and their parents/guardians thronged the offices
of the CSSPS to request the resolution of various challenges associated with the
placement. The report noted that the challenges included change of academic pro-
grammes, change of school, wrong placement, issues having to do with gender of
students placed in some schools and day/boarding placement issues. Because of the
numerous challenges associated with the CSSPS, some teacher unions have called
for its abolishment (see Ghanaweb, 2023b). And career counselling professionals
have urged Ghanaian parents to desist from choosing academic programmes for
their wards, as parents’ programme preferences do not often align well with those of
their wards (Ghana News Agency, 2022b).
Because choice of study programmes in high schools is important for students’
career decision-making, there is a need for more research to unpack the determinants
of Ghanaian high school adolescents’ vocational interests and career exploration.
This research is needed to provide information to guide the design of educational
interventions for career counselling and career awareness creation among students
in junior high schools before they apply for subject and school placement into senior
high schools. This research can also provide formative information for the devel-
opment of an adolescent-specific career interest inventory for interest assessments
in Ghana. Viewed from this perspective, this study is warranted because currently,
there is no form of career assessment for junior high school adolescents in Ghana
before the application for subject and school placements into senior high schools.
Elsewhere, a growing body of empirical studies has revealed that numerous fac-
tors influence young people’s vocational interests and career exploration. For exam-
ple, among high school students in Zimbabwe, Mtemeri (2017) found that both
nuclear and extended family members had an influence on high school students’
career choices, with mothers’ and fathers’ influence considered more substantial
than that of other family members. Research in Pakistan found family influence,
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personal interest and economic considerations to be key influences on university

students’ career choices (Humayon et al., 2018). A similar study in Jordan found
that parents, teachers, friends and self-efficacy were major influences on students’
career explorations (Khasawneh, 2010). Other work among South African university
students pursuing STEM courses reported that family, teachers, self-efficacy, career
prospects and personality were influential factors in their career decision-making.
Another South African study found that significant others, academic performance,
personal circumstances and social forces were important determinants of students’
career decision-making (Chinyamurindi, 2016). Relatedly, Shumba and Naong
(2012) found that family and teachers influenced the career choice and aspirations
of South African medical students. In Nigeria, a study among high school students
in the Ilorin Metropolis found that parental influence was a strong predictor of stu-
dents’ career choices and that parental influence on career choice differed by family
type, parental educational level and occupation (Okesina & Famolu, 2022).
Moreover, a systematic review of 30 studies found that the career interests of
young people in collective cultures are primarily influenced by family expectations,
with a high congruence between parental expectations and a child’s career aspira-
tions. In contrast, the review found that personal interest was the main determinant
of career choices among young people in individualistic settings (Akosah-Twu-
masi et al., 2018). Other work provided evidence suggesting that neighbourhoods
and schools also influence young people’s career aspirations (Wicht & Ludwig-May-
erhofer, 2014). Furthermore, there is evidence that vocational interests and career
choices made during adolescence often become the basis upon which subsequent
career-related decisions depend (see Low et al., 2005; Rottinghaus et al., 2007; Xu
& Tracey, 2016). Based on the literature reviewed, the present study addressed the
following research questions:
1. What are the vocational/career interests and choices of senior high school (SHS)
students in the Tamale Metropolitan Area in the Northern Region of Ghana?
2. What factors influence the vocational/career interests and choices of SHS students
in the Tamale Metropolitan Area in the Northern Region of Ghana?
The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to identify the vocational/career interests
and choices of SHS students in the Tamale Metropolitan Area of northern Ghana, and
(b) to explore the factors influencing the vocational/career interests of these students.
Method
Study Design
This study employed an exploratory qualitative design. We used an exploratory

qualitative design because such a design allows researchers to shed light on how a
phenomenon manifests by allowing research participants to contribute to the genera-
tion of new ideas and hypotheses regarding the phenomenon of interest (Swedberg,
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2020). This design also allows the use of interviews or focus group discussions to
unpack lived experience, clarify concepts and formulate research problems (Steb-
bins, 2001). Thus, this design enabled us to explore adolescents’ vocational/career
interests, an understudied phenomenon in Ghana.
Research Setting
The study was conducted in the Tamale Metropolitan Area (TMA), the capital city
of the Northern Region of Ghana. According to the 2021 Population and Housing
Census data, the population of the Northern Region is 2,310,939 (Ghana Statistical
Service, 2023), with 374,744 people (185,051 males and 189,693 females) living
in the TMA. The TMA was chosen as the setting for the present study because (a)
the few career interest studies available in Ghana were conducted mainly in south-
ern Ghana, (b) Tamale is an educational centre with several junior and senior high
schools and training colleges, and (c) Tamale is Ghana’s third largest city, and it is
the hub of financial, commercial and administrative activities in northern Ghana.
There are eight public senior high schools in the metropolis, of which two are single-
sex schools. This study was conducted in Anbariya Senior High School and Vitting
Senior High/Technical School both of which are mixed-sex schools. The academic
programmes on offer at Vitting Senior High/Technical include general agriculture,
home economics, general arts, visual arts and technical courses. The courses studied
at Anbariya Senior High School include the following subject bouquets: general sci-
ence, general agriculture, home economics, general arts and business. These schools
were chosen because they have various academic programmes (courses) with stu-
dents from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
Participants
Participants were 31 students (10 from Vitting Senior High/Technical School and
21 from Anbariya Senior High School) in the TMA. The two schools were chosen
because they offered the highest number of academic programmes. In Ghana, all
senior high schools do not offer the same number of academic programmes for vari-
ous reasons. For example, some schools do not offer general science because they
do not have labs. Some high schools do not offer technical programmes. Some high
schools are single-sex schools, whereas others are mixed schools. Because our goal
was to recruit participants from as many academic programmes as possible, we had
to be purposive in our choice of the participating schools. We chose only mixed
schools for this study. Thus, participants were made up of both males and females,
recruited from each of the academic programmes offered at both schools. Partici-
pants from Anbariya Senior High School were in Form 1 (i.e. students in the first
year of the 3-year high school programme) and Form 2 (i.e. students in the second
year of the 3-year high school programme) whereas those from Vitting Senior High/
Technical were in Form 1 (i.e. students in the first year of the three-year high school
programme). Because both Form 1 and Form 2 students from Anbariya Senior High
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School expressed interest in the study, we recruited more students from there than
we did in Vitting Senior High/Technical School.
Students were recruited with the help of school authorities, following an infor-
mation session with the students. The students were assured of the confidentiality
of their participation and the anonymity of their interviews. A purposeful sampling
technique was used to recruit students who expressed interest in the study. This is
because we targeted students from each of the academic programme areas of their
school. A semi-structured interview guide developed by the research team was used
to collect the data. Questions on the interview guide were developed from a review
of the vocational/career interest literature, information from Ghanaian newspaper
articles on the challenges and issues associated with the computerised school selec-
tion and placement system and personal knowledge of Ghanaian young people’s
questions about subject choices in high school and at university. The guide was also
pre-tested for face and content validity. Students took part in individual in-depth
interviews. The interviews were conducted in the English Language and were tape-
recorded for analysis. The interviews took place at a quiet location on the school
compound.
Ethics Considerations
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee for the
Humanities, University of Ghana (ECH029/22–23). Permission to recruit students
was obtained from the Ghana Education Service in the TMA and head teachers of
the participating schools. Because some of the participants were below 18 years
of age, they completed assent forms, and their head teacher completed a parental
consent form on their behalf, acting in loco parentis. Participants aged 18 years
completed consent forms. All of the ethics procedures followed in this study are
consistent with the ethical standards of the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later
amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Data Management and Analysis
The qualitative data were analysed using the reflexive thematic analysis approach
(see Braun & Clarke, 2019). We chose reflexive thematic analysis because it is an
established method of qualitative data analysis that is concerned with the examina-
tion of shared meaning in relation to a topic or a phenomenon. In addition, reflexive
thematic analysis is a flexible, iterative and exploratory approach that allows induc-
tive coding and a nuanced reading and sense-making of the data (Braun & Clarke,
2019). These theoretical underpinnings of reflexive thematic analysis make this
method well suited for the analysis of the present data.
The data were first transcribed and imported into NVIVO 12 software for coding.
Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted in six phases: familiarizing oneself with
the data, generating initial codes, developing themes, reviewing themes, defining
and naming themes and writing a report (see Braun & Clarke, 2006). This analytic
approach is anchored in the inductive theory and offers a deeper understanding of
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phenomena in social contexts. In the first round of coding, the research team (i.e.
the three authors comprising one woman and two men) carefully read the interview
transcripts of each participant to identify important concepts. During the iterative
process, similar and dissimilar key concepts identified across the interview tran-
scripts were categorized into themes and sub-themes. In the final phase, the themes
were named and interpreted. Representative quotes were then identified to support
the themes generated from the analysis. Efforts were made to search for alterna-
tive explanations of themes as we ensured that diverse participant experiences
and thoughts were represented. Coding discrepancies were reviewed and resolved
through discussion.
Positionality and Trustworthiness
Acknowledging researcher positionality, described as the position a researcher

adopts in a given research (Savin-Baden & Major, 2013), is an important aspect
of qualitative research. Positionality requires the researcher to engage in reflexiv-
ity throughout the research process (Lazard & McAvoy, 2020; Probst, 2015; Rae &
Green, 2016). For this reason, we declare that all of the authors believe in the social
construction of knowledge and are aware that knowledge constructed from this pro-
cess may not be value-free or value-neutral. Thus, we made efforts to bracket out our
ontological perspectives and epistemological positions from shaping the choice of
the research topic, research design, the research context and the interpretation of the
findings. We also note that all of the authors did not have any relationships with the
research participants before the start of the study. Of the three authors, one is female
and two are male.
To ensure trustworthiness in this study, Guba (1981) criteria of credibility, con-
firmability, dependability and transferability were fused into the research process.
Confirmability was ensured through the discussion of coding discrepancies and the
search for alternative explanations of themes. To ensure credibility, the data analy-
sis was undertaken by the research team who discussed their understanding of the
interviews. The same interview guide was used for all of the interviews to facilitate
dependability. To further enhance dependability, the transcribed data were returned
to some of the participants for member-checking. Thus, the research design, data
collection and iterative and reflexive analysis procedures were transparent enough to
enhance confirmability.
Findings
Sociodemographic Characteristics of Participants
A total of 31 students (female = 16, male = 15) aged 15–23 years participated in this
study (see Table 1). Of the 31 students, 21 were in year 1 (Form 1) and 10 were in
year 2 (Form 2). Six of the students described themselves as Christians with the
rest describing themselves as Muslims. The academic programmes studied by the
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Table 1 Demographic characteristics and vocational/career interests of participants (N = 31)
Participants Sex Age Religion Form Programme Vocational/career interests
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Student 1 Male 17 Muslim Form1 Agricultural science Agricultural extension officer, poultry farmer
Student 2 Male 18 Muslim Form1 Business Business owner, accountant
Student 3 Female 18 Muslim Form1 General arts Journalist, pilot
Student 4 Female 17 Muslim Form1 Agricultural science Poultry farmer, nurse
Student 5 Female 19 Christian Form1 Business Chartered accountant, bank manager
Student 6 Female 17 Muslim Form1 Home economics Journalist, nurse, teacher
Student 7 Female 17 Muslim Form1 General science Medical doctor, pharmacist, nurse
Student 8 Female 17 Muslim Form1 Business Chartered accountant, bank manager
Student 9 Male 22 Muslim Form1 General arts Nurse, teacher
Student 10 Male 19 Muslim Form1 Business Accountant, auditor
Student 11 Male 18 Muslim Form1 General science Medical doctor, laboratory technician, nurse
Student 12 Male 20 Muslim Form 2 Business Bank/business manager, accountant, soldier
Student 13 Male 20 Muslim Form 2 Home economics Medical doctor, nurse, teacher
Student 14 Female 20 Muslim Form 2 Agricultural science Agricultural extension officer
Student 15 Female 18 Muslim Form 2 Business Bank manager, accountant
Student 16 Female 18 Muslim Form 2 General science Medical doctor
Student 17 Female 19 Muslim Form 2 General arts Nurse
Student 18 Female 17 Muslim Form 2 Home economics Teacher, football team manager
Student 19 Male 23 Muslim Form 2 General arts Pilot, politician
Student 20 Male 19 Muslim Form 2 Agricultural science Farmer, agricultural extension officer
Student 21 Male 19 Muslim Form 2 General science Medical doctor
Student 22 Male 16 Christian Form 1 General arts Musician
Student 23 Male 16 Christian Form 1 Agricultural science Veterinary officer, nurse, extension officer, farmer
Student 24 Male 15 Muslim Form 1 Home economics Medical doctor, business man, nurse
Table 1 (continued)
Participants Sex Age Religion Form Programme Vocational/career interests
Student 25 Male 17 Muslim Form 1 Technical Soldier, building contractor, architect

Student 26 Male 19 Christian Form 1 Visual arts Interior designer, architect, movie editor, musician
Student 27 Female 18 Christian Form 1 General arts Nurse, police
Student 28 Female 18 Muslim Form 1 Agricultural science Soldier
Student 29 Female 17 Christian Form 1 Home economics Fashion designer, nutritionist
Student 30 Female 18 Muslim Form 1 Technical Engineer
Student 31 Female 17 Muslim Form 1 Visual arts Artist (drawing), teacher
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participants included agricultural science, general science, general arts, visual arts,
home economics and technical and business courses.
Theme 1: Family Factors
Most of the students stated that they had influences on their career interests from
family (i.e. parents, guardians, or relatives). While some students discussed their
career interests with family and got support from them, other students were inter-
ested in careers that differed from the career preferences their family members
would like them (students) to pursue. This theme has two sub-themes (a) family sup-
port for students’ career interests and (b) family career preferences for students.
Family Support for Students’ Career Interests
Some parents or guardians influenced the career interests of their wards by encour-
aging and empowering them to pursue their dream career interests. According to a
student who hoped to become an engineer, she was encouraged to pursue her career
interest by her parents: “Whenever I go home from here [school] they always ask me
what I’m learning and whether I am still interested in doing the engineering. They
always motivate me to work hard so that I can achieve my aim” (Student no. 30).
Likewise, another student who expressed interest in becoming a musician mentioned
that he was encouraged by his parents to pursue a music career: “For my father, he
always tells me to continue to learn towards that career. They always encourage me
to learn hard, so that I can achieve my career goals” (Student no. 22). A student who
wished to become an artist (drawing) explained that he was encouraged by his sister
when they discussed her career interests: “The work (drawing) that I’ve been doing
in the house, she told me that I should keep on doing it, just keep practising what
you’re doing, she motivates me” (Student no. 31).
Family Career Preferences for Students
Some students’ career interests differed from those their family members wanted
them to pursue, leading some parents or guardians to impose their preferred careers
on the students. A student who wished to become a footballer had this to say about
the constant push by his father for him to rather develop an interest in the teach-
ing profession: “One day it was a career day in our school and my father asked me
what I wanted to become. I told him I wanted to play football. So, he said, why
don’t I become a teacher? My father is just on the side of the teacher, teacher, and
I don’t understand…” (Student no. 9). Another student whose career interest was to
become an agricultural extension officer described the influence she faced from her
senior brother: “My brother, he said after SHS I should go to nursing training col-
lege and become a nurse but I told him I won’t give up on my dream of becoming
an agricultural extension officer” (Student no. 14). Similarly, a student who wished
to become a teacher, which is contrary to the career preference of her parents, had
to seek the support of a relative to get her parents to accept her career interest: “I
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used to discuss my career interest with my relative instead. As for my parents, they
wanted me to become a physician assistant but I’m not interested in that so I don’t
discuss it with them anymore. Sometimes my mother tells me that teachers don’t
earn enough money and that leaves me annoyed” (Student no. 18).
Theme 2: Socio‑cultural Factors
The interviews revealed that there were socio-cultural influences on students’ career
interests. This theme contains two sub-themes: (a) gender-role norms and (b) lack of
some professionals in a social context.
Gender‑Role Norms
Other students’ accounts suggested that socio-cultural world views (societal norms)
influenced their career interests. A female student described how individuals made
comments about her career interest in engineering. “My decision has not been
affected but it just worries me; when I said I wanted to become an engineer, most
people were telling me that the course is for men…” (Student no. 30). Another
female student explained how individuals talked her out of her career interest in
becoming a soldier: “So they keep telling me being a soldier is not a girl’s work but
a boy’s and that girls are supposed to be teachers and others. I used to be discour-
aged by my mum when I told her I wanted to become a soldier” (Student no. 28).
Lack of Some Professionals in a Social Context
Other students’ career interests seemed to emanate from their desire to help solve
their community’s needs. For example, the inadequacy of healthcare professionals in
their communities seemed to influence the career interests of students. “I have ever
experienced a situation where I went through surgery and at my place when I went
to the hospital, at the time there wasn’t any medical doctor to attend to us. The doc-
tor came a day after. So that was when I developed an interest to become a doctor.
This explains why I am the prefect in charge of health for this school” (Student no.
13). Another student who had an interest in becoming a medical doctor stated the
following: “In our hometown, there’s no hospital. If you want to give birth, you’ll
have to go to another village and it’s behind us. I want to help sick people in this
village to recover” (Student no. 24). Similarly, a student with a career interest in
nursing expressed it this way: “I want to be a nurse so I can save people’s lives in my
community” (Student no. 9). The challenges some farmers face in their communi-
ties seemed to influence the career interests of some students to become agricultural
extension officers to help solve the farming issues. A student explained it this way:
“There’re some problems my community is facing in terms of agriculture, so I want
to become an extension officer so that I can educate them” (Student no. 14).
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Theme 3: Academic Programme Factors
Most participants stated that the academic programmes or courses studied at the sen-
ior high school influenced their career interests. Some students stated that the courses
they were studying provided useful pieces of information regarding the career oppor-
tunities available in those subject areas. Other students noted that their courses stim-
ulated their career interests. For example, an agricultural science student with an
interest in becoming a veterinary officer explained the link between the content of
the course he was studying and his career interest: “Oh, in a course like animal hus-
bandry, they teach us the parts of animals and if an animal is weak or other things,
they teach us all kinds of things that we can use, food preparation and other things
to protect the animals” (Student no. 23). A business student who wishes to become
a bank manager described how his economics, business management and financial
accounting courses provide a good fit with his career interest: “So I’m studying finan-
cial accounting and economics which is the management of our scarce resources and
even sometimes, I do business management at the same time which I can use in my
future career. For me my courses fit into my career interest” (Student no. 12). Like-
wise, a general science student who had a career interest in medicine described the
influence his course of study could have on his career interest: “We do biology in
our class, and as a doctor-to-be, I’ve to know a lot about living things; that’ll help me
in the career that I want to pursue” (Student no. 11). Similarly, a home economics
student hoping to become a nurse or a nutritionist had this to say about the course
and her career interests: “For home economics, when you study it, you can become a
nurse, you can become a nutritionist, and they’re all occupations found in the health-
care industry and that is what I want, I want to work in a hospital” (Student no. 13).
Theme 4: Personal Interest Factors
A theme of personal interest was developed from students’ interviews. This theme
focuses on the positive connection between a student’s personal interest and their career
interests. This theme primarily reflects the match between talents, abilities, competen-
cies, skills, and career interests. Some students indicated that they observed a match
between their talents or skill sets with their career interests. A student who liked to
interact with people identified her interest to be linked to her career interest in journal-
ism: “My interest is in journalism. Journalism may fit me because it helps to communi-
cate and interact with people” (Student no. 6). Another student whose personal interest
was in drawing and who hoped to become an artist someday had this to say: “Okay,
so as I said, I can draw very well and when you’re an artist you need to know how
to draw. And you have to know more about the art side. I’m also learning something
from it so yeah, it’s a good fit for me” (Student no. 31). Similarly, one student inter-
ested in animal farming and who wished to become a veterinary officer stated the fol-
lowing: “…I like being with animals, rearing animals. You see, veterinary officers deal
with animals, so if you’re rearing them, you have some interest in them” (Student no.
23). Another student who liked designs and cars and who hoped to become an interior
13
designer provided this explanation: “So if I become an interior designer, I’ll always be
working around cars, aircraft, etc. and that gives me joy because I’ll have the chance to
learn a lot about them” (Student no. 26). Also, a student who liked singing and wished
to become a musician expressed it this way: “I like it, I enjoy singing and I think when
I’m in it [music profession], it would help me and I’ll benefit from it” (Student no. 22).
Discussion
The purpose of this study was to identify the vocational/career interests of senior high
school (SHS) students in the Tamale Metropolitan Area of Ghana and to explore the fac-
tors that influence the vocational/career interests of these students. The findings showed
that family, personal interest, socio-cultural factors and academic programmes pursued
at the SHS had influences on the career interests of the students. Specifically, we found
that family members (i.e. parents, relatives, brothers and sisters) influenced students’
career interests by either supporting the expressed career interests of the students or by
imposing their preferred careers on the students when the career interest of the student
differed from the one influential family members would like the student to consider.
The current finding is consistent with those of various studies that reported the
influence of family on students’ career interests (Humayon et al., 2018; Mudhovozi &
Chireshe, 2012; Palo & Drobot, 2010; Shumba et al., 2012). For example, in a study
among high school students in Nigeria, Okesina and Famolu (2022) found that parents
either encouraged students to make good career decisions or they informed the students
about specific careers that students should consider. This finding is also consistent with
that of Owusu (2020) who reported that Ghanaian parents had a keen interest in the
career aspirations of their children and were never ready to accept their children’s self-
selected career interests without approval from them. In addition, this finding is consist-
ent with those of Afful (2019) and Bedu-Addo et al.’s (2022) study conducted among
senior high school students in Ghana, which found parents or guardians to exert a great
influence on their ward’s career interests. Okyere (2021) reported similar findings
among high school students in the Tamale metropolis in Ghana. A study among high
school adolescents in Zimbabwe identified parents, siblings and other extended family
members to influence the career decision-making of the students (Mtemeri, 2017). The
current finding also aligns well with that of a systematic review (see Akosah-Twumasi
et al., 2018) which demonstrated that the career choices of young people from collectiv-
ist cultures are primarily influenced by family expectations.
Socio-cultural factors such as gender-role norms and community challenges were
important sources of influence on Ghanaian senior high school students’ career aspi-
rations. This finding is consistent with that of a previous study by Wicht and Lud-
wig-Mayerhofer (2014), which found that neighbourhood context such as a school
context considerably influenced the career aspirations of young people. Kung (2021)
also found longitudinal evidence suggesting that gender-role norms influence the
occupational interests of adolescents. Relatedly, Albien and Naidoo (2016) reported
that social-level factors influenced the career interests of high school adolescents
in South Africa. A novel finding in this study, related to the contextual influences
on career interests, is that the inadequate numbers of certain professionals such as
13
healthcare professionals in a community was considered by some participants as an

important source of influence on their career interests to the extent that they wish to
choose those careers in order to fill those “professional gaps” in their communities.
This finding compares favourably with that of Chinyamurindi (2016) who found that
personal circumstances and environmental forces were important influences on the
career choice of South African students.
Furthermore, we identified that students’ personal interest influenced their career
interests. In other words, most students formed their career interests based on their
current abilities, competencies, talents and skill set. This finding is consistent with
the finding by Humayon et al. (2018), who found evidence that personal interest was
an important influence on the career interests of Pakistani students. Work among
Indian students also found that students’ personal skills, abilities and competen-
cies influenced their career choices (Agarwala, 2008). Similarly, an earlier study
in Ghana among high school students reported that personal motivation was a key
determinant of students’ career interests (Annan-Kittoe, 2019).
Academic courses studied at the senior high school influenced the career inter-
ests of some of the students. These participants indicated that the courses provided
useful insights and served as sources of information for careers in the subject areas.
This finding is consistent with that of a longitudinal study among high school stu-
dents in the USA which found that classroom mathematics experiences were related
to later career aspirations in mathematics (Wang, 2012). Kitchen et al. (2018) found
that students who participated in the science, technology, engineering and mathe-
matics (STEM) summer programme were 1.4 times more interested in pursuing a
STEM career. Similarly, the engagement of high school students in science activi-
ties was found to significantly influence their career interests in STEM-related fields
(Dabney et al., 2012). Khasawneh (2010) found that high school academic experi-
ence influenced the career interests of Jordanian students.
Implications of the Findings
The findings have implications for policy and practice. From a practice viewpoint,
the findings will provide useful information to guidance and counselling profession-
als in educational institutions in Ghana. Because career counselling and assessment
is not an integral part of guidance and counselling programmes in high schools in
Ghana, there is a need to include it in the counselling programme in schools, know-
ing that adolescents form their vocational interests much earlier. Additionally, guid-
ance and counselling professionals in Ghanaian high schools should always con-
sider all possible sources of influence on student’s career interests such as parents or
guardians or socio-cultural contexts. For example, school counsellors could organise
career fairs at least once every school term to provide students with the opportunity
to explore various careers of which they might not be aware of and could invite par-
ents/guardians of students to attend such fairs. Counsellors may also help students to
develop career plans in line with their vocational interests or organise group career
guidance interventions for them (see Naidoo et al., 2019; Pillay, 2020).
13
From a policy viewpoint, these findings may suggest the need to modify the cur-
rent Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) for senior high
schools in Ghana. In its current form, the CSSPS places students in schools without a
prior career interest assessment. The finding that the courses pursued at the high school
influence students’ career interests suggests that some form of career assessment before
completing the CSSPS forms would be useful. For example, since the CSSPS is already
online, a career interest assessment tool could be embedded into it such that potential
students would first be required to complete the career interest assessment question-
naire, which, in turn, would automatically direct the applicants to the courses at the sen-
ior high school that match their vocational interests. Career interest assessment scholars
have provided useful guidelines for successful career assessments among young people
(see Morgan et al., 2019, 2023; Rabie et al., 2021; van Vuuren et al., 2022).
Limitations of the Study
The findings in this study have emanated from qualitative interviews. Qualitative
interviews do not easily lend themselves to validity and reliability measurements.
The participants were also recruited from only one region in northern Ghana. Thus,
factors influencing the career interests of the present participants may differ from
those of students from other geographic regions in Ghana. Future qualitative research
should explore other factors that influence the vocational interests of high school stu-
dents in Ghana, such as how illiterate parents versus literate parents influence the
career interests of their wards. Future research could also conduct a longitudinal
study to examine the stability of career interests among young people in Ghana.
Conclusion
The authors of this study set out to identify the career interests of high school adoles-
cents and explore the factors that influence those career interests among senior high
school students in the Tamale Metropolitan Area in northern Ghana. Data were collected
through qualitative interviews. The students mentioned various career interests of theirs
such as becoming agricultural extension officers, medical doctors, teachers and musi-
cians. Other findings showed that family, personal interest, socio-cultural factors and
academic courses pursued at the senior high school influenced the career interests of the
students. More research is needed to investigate this burgeoning research area in Ghana.
Author contributions Conceptualisation: Barnabas Atangongo, Enoch Teye-Kwadjo, and Joana

Larry-Afutu
Data curation: Barnabas Atangongo and Enoch Teye-Kwadjo
Formal analysis: Enoch Teye-Kwadjo
Investigation: Barnabas Atangongo and Enoch Teye-Kwadjo
Writing – Original draft preparation: Enoch Teye-Kwadjo
Writing – Review & editing: Enoch Teye-Kwadjo
13
Funding There is no funding to report for this study.
Data Availability The data on which the article reports are available from the corresponding author on
reasonable written request.
Declarations
Conflict of Interest The authors declare no competing interests.
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Authors and Affiliations
Barnabas Atangongo1 · Enoch Teye‑Kwadjo1,2 · Joana Larry‑Afutu1
* Enoch Teye‑Kwadjo
[email protected]
Barnabas Atangongo
[email protected]
Joana Larry‑Afutu
[email protected]
1
Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon, P. O. Box LG84, Accra, Ghana
2
Department of Industrial Psychology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602,
South Africa
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International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling

Factors Influencing Career Interests and Choices of High

Barnabas Atangongo1 · Enoch Teye‑Kwadjo1,2 · Joana Larry‑Afutu1

Accepted: 19 February 2024

Keywords Vocational interest · Career choice · Career assessment · Career

Young adults’ vocational/career interests are of great importance to counselling and

Extended author information available on the last page of the article

and Su (2014) defined vocational interests as “traitlike preferences to engage in

personal interest and economic considerations to be key influences on university

This study employed an exploratory qualitative design. We used an exploratory

Data Management and Analysis

Positionality and Trustworthiness

Acknowledging researcher positionality, described as the position a researcher

Sociodemographic Characteristics of Participants

Student 25 Male 17 Muslim Form 1 Technical Soldier, building contractor, architect

Theme 1: Family Factors

Family Support for Students’ Career Interests

Family Career Preferences for Students

Theme 2: Socio‑cultural Factors

Lack of Some Professionals in a Social Context

Theme 3: Academic Programme Factors

Theme 4: Personal Interest Factors

healthcare professionals in a community was considered by some participants as an

Implications of the Findings

Limitations of the Study

Author contributions Conceptualisation: Barnabas Atangongo, Enoch Teye-Kwadjo, and Joana

Funding There is no funding to report for this study.

Authors and Affiliations

Barnabas Atangongo1 · Enoch Teye‑Kwadjo1,2 · Joana Larry‑Afutu1

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