High school students’ educational and career interest (science–technology–mathematics) and career adaptabilities

Abstract

Career interest is an educational construct that consists of the resources an individual uses to respond to tasks and challenges of vocational development. The purpose of this research was investigated whether high school students’ career interest scores differ depending on gender and grade level, and whether there is a significant relationship between students’ career interests and career adaptabilities. The Educational and Career Interest Scale and the Career Adaptabilities Scale were used as the data collection tools in this study. The participants were 702 high school students (357 female, 345 male) who attended high schools in Sakarya. The research data were analyzed with a t-test, ANOVA, the Pearson Moment Correlation, and multiple regressions. The results showed that there is no significant difference between the gender of high school students and their educational and career interest scores. It was observed that there is a statistically significant difference between students’ grade level and educational and career interest scores. Furthermore, it was indicated in this study that there is a positive and significant relationship between students’ educational and career interest scores and their career adaptabilities scores.