BANKING ACADEMY OF VIETNAM FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ---------- GRADUATION THESIS TOPIC FACTORS AFFECTING CAREER CHOICE OF ENGLISH- MAJORED STUDENTS AT BANKING ACADEMY OF VIETNAM Student: : Ngo Ba Khoa Class : K22ATCB Course : 2019 - 2023 Student code : 22A7510083 Instructor : Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thuy (MA) Hanoi, May 2023 17014126240611000000 BANKING ACADEMY OF VIETNAM FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ---------- GRADUATION THESIS TOPIC FACTORS AFFECTING CAREER CHOICE OF ENGLISH- MAJORED STUDENTS AT BANKING ACADEMY OF VIETNAM Student: : Ngo Ba Khoa Class : K22ATCB Course : 2019 - 2023 Student code : 22A7510083 Instructor : Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thuy (MA) Hanoi, May 2023 DECLARATIONS I, the undersigned, hereby declare that this submission is entirely my own work, in my own words, and that all sources used in researching it are fully acknowledged and all quotations properly identified. It has not been submitted, in whole or in part, by me or another person, for the purpose of obtaining any other degree.
I understand the ethical implications of my research, and this work meets the requirements of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Banking Academy. Hanoi, 22th May 2023 Signature Ngo Ba Khoa i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this dissertation was made possible through the assistance and backing of a number of people. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all those who provided assistance during the process of this research. First of all, I would like to express my deepest appreciation towards my supervising teacher, Ms.
Tran Thi Thu Thuy (MA), who is a lecturer in the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Banking Academy. Throughout the duration of the research undertaking, I received valuable support from her, including motivational speeches, guidance on research direction and progress, and detailed feedback. This assistance was instrumental in enabling me to successfully complete my research. This thesis would not have been completed without the valuable guidance and directives provided by her.
Secondly, I would like to extend my gratitude to the 102 respondents who participated in my survey. The participants' involvement and willingness yielded precise data that significantly enhanced the findings of my study. Additionally, I express gratitude towards the esteemed professors of the Faculty of Foreign Languages for offering me vital knowledge pertaining to the particular regulations. Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my family and my friends for their unwavering support throughout the entire process.
With the provision of their encouragement and motivation, I was able to persist and conquer challenges in order to successfully conclude the research. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATIONS. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS. iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
v LIST OF TABLES .vi LIST OF FIGURES. viii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION. Background of the study. Significance of study.
Scope of the study. Structure of the study. 8 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW. Definitions of Career choice.
Factors affecting career choice. 25 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. Type of the study. Sample and Sampling technique.
Validity and Reliability. Data collection procedure. Data processing method & Data Analysis. 36 CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.
Findings on extrinsic factors influencing on career choice. Findings on intrinsic factors influencing on career choice. Findings on interpersonal factors influencing on career choice. Discussion on extrinsic factors influencing on career choice.
Discussion on intrinsic factors influencing on career choice. Discussion on interpersonal factors influencing on career choice. 48 CHAPTER V: SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. Summary of the Findings.
Recommendation for students. Recommendation for teachers. Recommendation for institutions. Limitations and Recommendations for further research.
63 iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviations Meanings APA American Psychological Association ANOVA Analysis of Variance D.C Dominance - Influence - Steadiness - Conscientiousness MBTI Myers-Briggs Type Indicator NCDA National Career Development Association SPSS Statistical Package software for Social Science VND Vietnam Dong v LIST OF TABLES Table 3. Active English-majored students at Banking Academy. 30 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2. Theoretical framework of the study.
Data processing method. Respondents’ distribution by gender. Respondents’ distribution by intended career choice. Respondents’ distribution by employment status.
40 vii ABSTRACT Title: Factors affecting career choice of English-majored students at Banking Academy Author: Mr. Ngo Ba Khoa, a fourth-year student of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Banking Academy of Vietnam. Tran Thi Thu Thuy (MA), a lecturer of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Banking Academy of Vietnam. Career choice is considered to be one of the most critical decisions in an individual's life.
The selection of a career path is a crucial step in an individual's journey as it determines their future societal role and corresponding behavioural patterns. The aim of this research is to examine the various factors that impact the career decision-making process of students majoring in English at the Banking Academy. The research employed a mixed-method approach. A sample of 102 senior students who are currently facing the decision of determining a career path right upon graduation participated in the survey.
The data collected were analysed using Statistical Package software for Social Science (SPSS) Version 25. This study employed reliability analysis and descriptive statistical analysis. Subsequently, a total of 10 participants were selected for the purpose of conducting in-depth interviews to gather further information. The findings indicated that of all factors affecting career choice, professional development opportunities and financial remuneration were those that influence the students the most; whereas, family members and friends was the factors that has the least impact on the respondents’ career decision.
Based on the results, the study presented implications for stakeholders in relation to students' career decision-making. Additionally, limitations of the study were acknowledged and recommendations for future research were provided. Key words: Career choice, career influences, English-majored students, professional development opportunities, financial remuneration viii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION The chapter provides information about the background, the problem statement, the research objectives, the research questions, the significance, the scope and the structure of the study. Background of the study Giving young people the necessary knowledge to make realistic career plans is the aim of education.
The overall goal of education is to impart appropriate knowledge to the youth and enable them to realistically strategize for their future profession because the role of career in an individual's life is significant and multifaceted, as it not only determines the financial trajectory but also shapes one's personality and worldview. According to Napompech (2011), an individual's career is a lifelong pursuit of work, accomplishments, and personal interests. According to the study of Sarwar & Azmat (2013), embarking on a career path is a pivotal moment in an individual's life that is shaped by various factors that have influenced them in the past. This pertains to the exploration of all activities throughout an individual's lifespan, commencing in early childhood, during which it has been historically believed that any encountered activity within this developmental stage holds no bearing on their character.
A significant impact is observed and acknowledged, which subsequently influences future outcomes. Nonetheless, there exist numerous rationales behind the selection of occupational domains by college students. The research also demonstrated that they believe that obtaining a higher education can provide them with significant opportunities to pursue their desired career paths. Therefore, certain fields of study, including medicine, engineering, business, and agriculture, tend to receive greater levels of attention.
This phenomenon occurs due to the abundance of opportunities, attractive remuneration, and the esteemed reputation associated with the profession. Reddy & Rajaram (2015) suggested that in contemporary times, it is increasingly common for children to make decisions regarding their career paths and the educational institutions in which they will pursue their studies. A limited proportion of students make informed decisions regarding their career trajectory as they rely on 1 guidance from their parents, senior family members, and educators. Scholars have conducted research in the realm of higher education and have identified various factors that influence career decision-making.
The factors that influence career decision-making have been categorised by scholars into two distinct groups: extrinsic and intrinsic. The study acknowledges the presence of extrinsic factors such as the economy status and labour market, as well as intrinsic factors such as attitude, education, family background, among others. Career choices are often influenced by various factors, including socio-cultural elements as noted by Swanson & Gore (2000), individual variables, personal and social qualities, the centrality of relationships, and other factors such as obstacles faced by women in certain professions such as management. Individuals tend to develop stronger leadership skills as they age and become more discerning, enabling them to recognise the long- term benefits of a particular course of study and profession.
The process of decision making is an essential aspect of real life that cannot be circumvented (DeSimone, Werner, & Harris, 2002). When selecting a career path, it is important for students to consider their personal interests and aspirations, as well as the potential for long-term success and stability. The significance of the activity lies in the fact that the decision made can have a profound impact on the life of the graduates, resulting in significant changes. The process of choosing a career path is a significant aspect of a young individual's life as the choice of career path made by students will have a significant impact on the trajectory of their future endeavours.
However, a considerable number of college students complete their studies without identifying the appropriate career path for themselves (Fizer, 2013). A study conducted by Tuyen et al. (2020) shows that the rate of graduates “working in a job mismatch” is over 24% in which bachelor graduates make up to 60%. Tran Quang Tuyen states that people "working in a job mismatch" when they take jobs that are not in their field of study at university.
The study was focusing on the business and management majors. This is because a significant number of graduates working in this field (about 28.5% in 2020 according to data from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam). The study’s findings show that the number of people in the Management and Business groups who work in a job mismatch 2 slowly rises as they get older. Regarding the average income, the group of people who work in a job mismatch earns less than that of the group who work in the right field of their studies.
According to data from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, in 2020, the average salary for a Business and Management major working in the right field of their studies is 9.4 million VND, while the average salary for those working against their major at university is 8 million VND. The figures are 9.1 million VND and 7.6 million VND in 2019, and they are 8.9 million VND in 2018. According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training's Centre for Support in Training and Human Resource Supply in 2020, there are 9 fields which have the highest percentage of students working in as the same majors studied after graduation including transportation services (89.2%), architecture and construction (79.6%), production and processing (79.5%), mathematics and statistics (77.7%), agriculture-forestry- fishing (75.8%), and life sciences (75. In conclusion, the process of determining one's career path is a crucial decision that students undertake when making plans for their future.
The decision in question will have a lasting impact on the individuals involved throughout their lifetimes. Therefore, it is crucial to examine various factors and reasons that influence youngsters’ career decision. This study primarily focuses on investigating the influential factors that affect the career choice of English-major students at Banking Academy, including extrinsic factors (career benefits), intrinsic factors (personal interests, personal characteristics), and interpersonal factors (family, educators, peers). Regarding the training program, English-majored students at Banking Academy are trained in two areas of knowledge and skills.