Gender and Occupational Preferences among Senior High School Students in Cross River State Nigeria

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study was carried cut to investigate the influence of
gender on the occupational preferences of senor secondary school students
in Cross River State, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 450 respondents; 225
male and 225 female randomly drawn from 2 (two) sampled schools, one
school sampled form experimental group while the other was a control
group. A well constructed and validated questionnaire (SOPI) constructed by
the researchers was the instrument used for data collection. To achieve the
purpose of the study one null hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05
level of significance using the (x2) chi-square statistical test. The finding
showed that gender has a significant influence on the occupational
preference among counselled and uncounselled students. While one’s sex
group determines one’s choice of occupation when choice was ignorantly
made, such sex influence manifested as a major variable even after
counselling and the subsequent enlightenment of occupational demands.
Based on the finding, conclusion and recommendation were made.