Leaving is not Losing: Influences on and Impacts of Career Decision Self-Efficacy in a Selection of Third Level Students in Ireland

Abstract

College withdrawals are a widespread problem and Ireland is no exception. The associated challenges for the third level education provider, the family of the withdrawing student, and above all, the student him/herself, are clear. The damage to a student s confidence having an impact on future decision-making is arguably the most serious challenge. It is thought that career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) may be associated with college withdrawals. An understanding of the demographic predictors to this ought to be helpful. A first-year student population at Dublin Institute of Technology provided the basis for this study. Data were collected by way of a quantitative study using a survey. Analysis included, but was not limited to, descriptive analysis, regression analysis, Chi-square testing, principle component analysis, and Pearsons correlation analysis. This study found that age is a strong predictor of CDSE. Academic achievement is also a predictor. Socioeconomic background and ethnicity may, or may not, be predictors. Gender was not correlated with CDSE. It is possible that higher CDSE contributes to positive withdrawals, while lower CDSE may contribute to negative ones. It would appear that students with high CDSE make a career/educational choice primarily mediated by personality. Those with low CDSE might be at risk of external influences such as distance to college. Students who fail examination(s) may demonstrate lower levels of CDSE. These students are deserving of additional career-related interventions. Further CDSE-related research focusing on both second and third level students ought to prove helpful to those concerned with career decision-making. I suggest such research might be longitudinal and include qualitative methods of enquiry.