The identification of factors that contribute to training area selection by first year post-secondary students in a technical institute

The data used in this survey were obtained from one-hundred thirty-six students enrolled during the Spring Quarter of 1980 at Tri-Cities State Technical Institute. Forty-one of the respondents were Engineering Technology students and ninety-five of them were Applied Science Technology students.

It was found that a majority of the students were influenced in their choice of training by parent(s), friend(s), or person(s) in the profession. Not many were influenced in their choice by a counselor which does not reflect well on the counseling profession.

There is a great deal of difference between the two groups surveyed in high school math and science courses. This fact could be useful to high school and post-secondary school counselors.

Students need to be made more aware of career opportunities and entrance requirements to these careers during their secondary school years to be better prepared to be successful in that chosen career area.