CAREER PROSPECT AND AWARENESS OF PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION STUDENTS

CAREER PROSPECT AND AWARENESS OF PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION STUDENTS IN AKWA IBOM STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AFAHA NSIT

ABSTRACT

This study investigated Career Prospects and Awareness of Physical and Health Education Students’ in Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit. A survey research design was adopted and the total of one hundred and fifty-six (156) students constitutes the population of the study. Base on this, four research question were formulated to guide the study. The instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentage. The result revealed that counseling services is a pre-requisite for College of Education students career awareness in Physical and Health Education and information provided by Physical Education  professionals are paramount in choosing career in Physical and Health Education while mass media and non-counsellors do not offered enough information on the career choice of Physical and Health Education students. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended among others, that government in conjunction with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) should recruit more counselors and send them to College of Education and seminars on students career prospect should be organized for non-counsellors in order to enlightened them in various career available.

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the study

The goals of education in Nigeria place emphasis on fostering and inculcating cultural and intellectual development in youths. The development and preparation for career prospects constitute the core of education processes and implementation. This in effect provides the country with well trained men and women capable of forwarding and controlling the complex processes of economic and social development.

The school has the responsibility of giving assistance to the students to understand themselves as unique individuals.  To become aware of their values, abilities, interest, talents, aptitudes, personality, characteristics, strength and weaknesses after which he can make decisions that are appropriate, meaningful and realisties for his future survival (Denga, 2007). Career preparation is therefore structured to compensate the interest, abilities, aptitudes and talents, not just for the life of today, but also for the life of tomorrow and problems of the future (Olayinka, 2013).

The career demands students to be acquainted with various career prospects abounds in relation to the courses offered in the college. In view of the apparent ignorance of many young people about career prospect and in view of personality and adjustment among school children, career information is very necessary (National Policy on Education, 2008). Among different courses offered in the college, physical and health education is a discipline were career prospect abounds in the world today. Career associated with commercial sports, entertainment, production and organization of sport contests, administration of amateur sports, professional field i.e. teaching and a lot more are available.

The role of counselors, professionals, mass media and the entire staff in the school system should not be overemphasized in this perspective. Research on the paths through which people come to their vocations tends to emphasize the impact of situational and random factors over which we have little whereof making decision. The selection of career might best be viewed as a process of socialization by which one’s choice are gradually narrowed as the situation is encountered, a feedback received and one’s self-esteem pushed towards an unseen future (Loy et al, 2012).

In Light of the above overview about career socialization, sports is one of the most important agent because it brings people of different dimensions races and ethnic groups together. Many are the children in our society who have visualized themselves as Olympic or professional athletes. For those who are successful among the peers, the dream praise the audience for those who are less successful, the dream fades or places them in a lower position of priority (Nixon and Vendia, 2008). In a broad sense the opportunities or career in sports among others include, sport writer, sport organizers, sports commentators, recreational directors, as a coach, as a teacher, physiotherapists in hospitals, working in ministry of youth and sport (Effiong, 2013). In view of this, the economic and social changes in our society today awaken one’s interest to determine career prospects and match course offered. This therefore needs career information in order to know the different type of  vocations, salaries, wages and fringe benefits such vocations attract.

In view of the above, it is pertinent for a research to be carried out in this area to determine the awareness level of students who offered Physical and Health Education as a course or discipline in College of Education, Afaha Nsit, recognizing the career prospects that abounds in it.  

1.2   Statement of the Problem

The issue of career prospect and awareness in Physical and Health Education among students in Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit is of interest to the researcher. This is  so because there are thousands of those who complete their programme of study in school and Colleges without any good knowledge of what they are going to do; and more so, without preparing adequately for their next step in life.

This problem is not connected with utter ignorance of students on the existing career opportunities in certain disciplines like physical and health education. Each year, more and more people seek initial career opportunities or even alternatives careers, making job-search process and increasingly difficult and challenging one.

It is unfortunate that, lack of counseling causes most people to become frustrated and discouraged in life (Nixon and Vendian, 2008). One could therefore be tempted to feel that, career counseling, professionals and mass media have not created much impact in helping students determine career prospects in physical and health education. In view of this to investigate the career prospect and awareness of physical and health education students in the College of Education, Afaha Nsit would not be out of place.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of career prospects on the awareness of physical and health education students.   

                Specifically, the study sought to;

(i)     Find out the effect of counseling services on career awareness of students in physical and health education.

(ii)    Find out the impact of physical and health education professionals on career awareness of students in physical and health education.

(iii)    Find out the role of mass media on career awareness of students in physical and health education.

(iv)   Find out the effect of non-counselors on career awareness of students in physical and health education.

             

1.4   Research Question

The following research questions were posed to help direct the study;

i.      Does counseling services positively affect career awareness of the college of education students who offer Physical and Health Education?

ii.      Does physical education professionals have a direct impact on career awareness of the college of education students who offer Physical and Health Education?

iii.     Does mass media have an effect on the career awareness of the college of education students who offer Physical and Health Education?

iv.     What effect has non-counselors on career awareness of college of education students who offer Physical and Health Education?

1.5   Significance of the Study

i.      The study would be of immense benefits to the students of the college of education who offer physical and Health Education since awareness would be created. It will enable them to contact those concern for the provision of career information.

ii.      The study would be useful to career counselors, physical education professional, and mass media to re-appraise their roles in preparing the students through the provision of information that would aid students for successful career prospects.

iii.     The study would be useful to the general public to appraise the role of vocational counselors or schools in this respects.

iv.     The study would help the government and educational planners to recognize the need for vocational counseling in our educational system, hence encourage its services.

1.6   Limitation of the Study

Certain limitation was encountered by the researcher during the process of conducting this study;

(i)     Financial Problem: The research was face with financial problem which does not allowed the researcher to expand his research to reach other local government in the area.

(ii)    Time: Since the time allocated to the study was limited the researcher had to limit the study to only one department in College of Education, Afaha Nsit.

1.7   Delimitation of the Study

i.      The study was delimited to the awareness level and the factors affecting the student’s career prospect in Physical and Health Education.

ii.      The study was also delimited to the students of Physical  and Health Education in Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit.

1.8   Operational Definition of Terms

Career Prospects: This is an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life where by an individual have a possibility that something fabulous will happen in the future.

Awareness: This is the ability to have knowledge about something occurring or interested in having knowledge about what is happening.

Physical Education: This is a part of a total education which concerned with complete development of an individual physically, mentally, socially, morally through selected physical activities.

Health Education: This is the process of bringing about a change in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs,, values and practices for the good of an individual and that of the community he belong.

Student: This is a person usually over the age of sixteen, who is studying at a university or college.