| dc.description.abstract | This study had a dual objective. The first was to determine which factors
influenced the career choice of girls and the second whether• their• actual
choices coincided with their aptitudes.
Socialization has a direct influence on the identification of girls with their
careers. From an early age their behaviour is in line with the traditional
roles (femininity, attractiveness, etc.) which society holds up to them.
This is also true about occupations regarded as being suitable for girls.
Girls therefore tend to choose their careers from a limited sphere.
The style of parents' upbringing of their children also has an influence
on the development of a girl's sex role identity, and therefore her career
orientation. The peer group, especially male friends, has a tremendous
influence during adolescence on the formation of a girl's sex role identity
and career orientation. Pressure from the peer group tends to make girls
feel that popularity and attractiveness are more important than academic
achievement and high professional aspirations. It also appears that
teachers do not play a significant role in the career orientation of girls.
The influence of television on the career orientation of girls can be traced
back to the influence on the patterns of interest of television viewers.
It emerges that television programmes represent sex roles in a stereotyped
manner. Through that, patterns of interest in the fields of "Social
work" and "Practical-female" (19-Field Interest Questionnaire) are reinforced.
School counsellors do not have a big influence on the career choices of
girls.
Boys and girls both regard the aspects of interest highly in making a
choice of career. Girls tend, however, to give high credence to the
rendering of service and to welfare. Boys tend to look more strongly at
good income and good opportunities for promotion.
The training of girls is directed more at the development of aptitudes in
a field in the Humanities, in secretarial and clerking positions. The result
of this is that girls mostly follow a domestic, caring and administrative
course of study.
The career values of girls and their self-image have a negative influence
on their career orientation. This leads to the situation that fear of
success inhibits them from developing their full professional potential.
Other factors, such as manpower shortages, economic and political conditions,
the improvement of the level of education and professional
knowledge separately or in conjunction, have an influence on girls' career
preferences and expectations.
For the purposes of this study the Senior Aptitude Test, professional
profiles identified with the aid of the Senior Aptitude Test and a questionnaire
were used. Three aspects are covered by the questionnaire:
* Field of study
* Career expectations
* Choice of career
All the Afrikaans-speaking matriculants of four Afrikaans-medium high
schools in a particular metropolitan area participated in the project.
The data were statistically processed with an SAS computer programme.
Fields of study and aptitudes of the study group do not correlate. Most
respondents' strongest aptitudes are in the Humanities, while they are
in fact following courses in the field of Economics.
Most respondents are of the opinion that there are adequate work opportunities
for white girls in the RSA, but feel that career counselling
did not make adequate provision for girls.
The study group are of the opinion that girls can do traditionally male
jobs. There is a fair amount of uncertainty, however, about the professional
future of white girls in a changing RSA. Professional training is
thus regarded as being very important.
More than half of the group (67,2%) expert to marry and still to have a
career.
Most of the respondents (176 out of 277) have made a fin3l career choice.
The reason why the rest have not made career choices could largely be
attributed to too little knowledge about careers.
Five careers, viz. secretarial, teaching, nursing, social work and
clerking, represent the largest percentage (35,4%) of the study group's
career choices. The study group mainly made their choices on their own
volition, and most parents are satisfied with their daughters' choices of
career.
Training is essential for most careers, mainly at universities and
technikons. Too little knowledge of careers and financial considerations
gave rise to the fact that some respondents (71 out of 277) planned to
study later.
In the consideration of the results of the investigation, the following
conclusions could be reached:
The process of socialization still holds up the caring role, service and
femininity to girls as the ideal. In that way girls' aptitudes in the fields
of the Humanities and in medicine are reinforced. In spite of that, the
greatest percentage of girls followed a commercial course. The conclusion
that is reached is that they feel "safe" in this field of study, because
the traditional expectation is that they will go and work as a typist or
a secretary.
Girls therefore choose a field of study in Standard seven which is not
in line with their aptitudes. It emerges that girls do not receive adequate
counselling in Standard seven, and that being a secretary or a teacher
is still held up to them by die Guidance teacher. The career choices of
the study group therefore correlate with their fields of study, but not
with their aptitudes. The conclusion that can be reached is that a large
percentage of the study group would seem to have made an unrealistic
choice of career, probably because they did this from a limited professional
awareness. This can probably be ascribed to the traditional values
and roles held for girls.
Other conclusions which emerge from this study: * The respondents are not properly informed about the changes occurring in the RSA. * The study group dispose of too little information about professional training, although they seem to be aware of its importance.
* Girls want to move away from the traditional sex role of wife and mother, and want to reconcile career and marriage. * Most respondents do not dispose of adequate self- knowledge to come to a realistic choice of career without some supportive action. * The female work force in South Africa is very valuable and an important
source of executive and highly qualified manpower which
should not be neglected. The place which women fill in the career
world and its implications should enjoy special attention in school
guidance. It is especially necessary that girls be made aware of their
career potential but also of career options and problems.
A school guidance teacher should take note of the fact that girls' career
orientation is different from that of boys, and should adjust the
counselling programme accordingly. One cannot, therefore, have the same
programme for boys and girls.
If it should be accepted that the role of woman in the business world is
important, it is essential that career and course guidance in school be
improved on an ongoing basis. Such improvement can only take place if
the process of career counselling makes provision for the dynamic as well
as the scientific dimensions of career choice and career development of
girls in particular. The career orientation of girls is a lifelong process.
It goes much further than mere career counselling. It is comprehensive,
encompassing the girl in her totality. It also points to co-ordinated
planning by all persons and institutions involved. It is only in this way
that the optimal utilization of available manpower in its full implications
can be attained. | en_US |
