A Study of the Relationship between Social Cognitive Factors and Career Choice Satisfaction in the Technology Career Path: A Gendered Perspective

Abstract

The technology workforce is plagued by a diversity issue caused by women leaving the field at an alarming rate. This global phenomenon afflicts developing nations in particular, since women are believed to make up only 30 per cent of the technology workforce. However, there are little empirical data from developing nations on the phenomenon since most studies on the topic have been conducted in industrialized countries. This article, therefore, explores the relationship between socio-cognitive mechanisms (self-efficacy, outcome expectation, perceived social support and academic-family role conflict) and career choice satisfaction, which is posited to be one of the key influencers in an individual’s decision to continue along a particular career path. A questionnaire was used to collect data from students pursuing technology courses, such as in bachelor programmes in informatics and telecommunications, at a private university in Kenya. The findings reveal that self-efficacy, outcome expectations and perceived social support positively influence career choice satisfaction, especially among female students, whereas academic-family role conflict negatively influences career choice satisfaction of female students only. This means that government, higher education institutions and employers need to be attentive to socio-cognitive mechanisms that influence women and use this information to reduce the exodus of women from careers in technology.