Abstract:
The following research was a mixed-method study exploring the relationship between career counseling and career choices of graduates at four southern technical colleges. Selection of an appropriate career is important for the graduates of technical colleges to obtain satisfactory and fulfilling employment. As the cost of post-secondary education increases, a graduate's career selection must be a wise decision. Whether it be a 4-year liberal arts university or a 2-year technical college, many changes in career choices become cost prohibitive halfway into a program that do not match a student's goals. More tragic for a graduate would be to complete the program and obtain employment in a chosen career, only to learn that it fails to match the graduate's mental, physical, or academic make-up. The researcher employed qualitative research methods to determine ways to improve knowledge and use of career service opportunities by technical college graduates. Roles of social pressure and state governmental policies influencing career selection were analyzed in graduates of four medium sized, 2-year technical colleges in South Georgia. The mixed-methods study involved use of surveys to assess levels of satisfaction with career counseling services provided by the institution, the graduates' happiness with their career selections, as well as how the graduates made their career selections. This research also involved interviews with five administrators in Academic Support and Career Counseling at four southern technical colleges.