EXPLORING THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CAREER DECISION- MAKING AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY COMPARING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLING IN VIETNAM

The rising number of students working in different fields after graduation has
prompted the Ministry of Education and Training in Vietnam to emphasize the
establishment of school counselling focused on career orientation to help students make
a right career choice and to enhance workforce quality in response to the labor market.
Career orientation is crucial for providing guidance, information, and clarity to assist
individuals in career decision-making. This research aims to identify factors influencing
career decision-making among high school students in Vietnam. This qualitative study
uses semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of grade 12 students from
a public high school in Nghe An Province and a private high school in Dak Nong
Province, Vietnam, to explore the factors influencing their career decision-making. This
study identified how different factors influence the career choice of students, including
individual, family, school, peers, and social trends. Two major influencing factors in
career decision-making among the grade 12 students are: 1) academic performance and
2) family socioeconomic status. The results also show the differences among the factors
between the public and private schooling, in which students in private school tend to
have greater autonomy in their career decision-making, influenced by family
aspirations, supportive educational resources and share openly with peers about career
choices, while in public school students often prioritize job security and financial
concerns due to limited exposure and guidance. This study contributed important
information for students to make their career decisions seriously, stressing the role of
school in career orientation in providing career information, career programs, and
school counselling services to avoid the common situation of “too many chiefs, not
enough Indians.