Relationship Between Vocational and Professional Guidance with Election of Career in Higher Education

Abstract

Current investigation originates in problems that high school graduates face at the moment of choosing a university career in a postulation process determined by the higher education control agencies. The objectives are to establish relationship between the vocational and professional guidance (VPG) process with the choice of career in higher education Institutions, as well as to identify factors that intervene in the decision making in application process and to establish differences presented taking as variables the type of institution and type of professionals that carry out the orientation process. The information was obtained applying the survey to a significant sample of professionals from Students Counseling Departments (DECE) of 34 schools located in Quito-Ecuador, and to 400 students of the Leveling Course at the Central University during the 2018–2018 academic period. Result analysis was done at a descriptive, differential and correlational level. Important correlations were obtained between the two research variables, many flaws were evidenced in the VPG process related to the insufficient number of professionals, the multiple tasks that must be done and the lack of support to execute the process. Also, it is noted that facility to find a job and salary to earn are influent aspects to the postulant at the time to decide. Finally, there is no evidence of significant differences between public and private institutions, neither between types of DECE´s professionals.