Browsing by Author "Naidoo, Emmanuel Rajugopal Gangia"
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- ItemCareer aspirations of undergraduate economic students(1999) Naidoo, Emmanuel Rajugopal Gangia; Urbani, G.Since the emergence of the new democratic dispensation in the South African political arena, promises of more work opportunities, and hence a better life-style for the previously deprived citizens, inundate the media. The financial staff of the Sunday Tribune (February 9, 1997 :1) state that the government has committed itself to a coherent market-oriented economic growth plan in its Growth, Employment and Redistribution strategy (Gear). There appears to be tremendous shortages of personnel skilled in the economic sciences and as a result more students have undertaken to study economics so that they may have the necessary qualifications to gain access to these economically-linked careers. By directing this research specifically at the career aspirations of undergraduate economic students, much could possibly be done in teaching, and guiding them toward the realisation of their aspirations. The aims of this study were: * To pursue a study of relevant literature on achievement motivation, career choice and the self-concept. * To undertake an empirical investigation into the career aspirations of a group of undergraduate economic students at the University of Zululand, Durban-Umlazi campus. * To provide certain guidelines and recommendations regarding the inclusion of economics in a university curriculum that may help the student realise his career aspirations. Research with regard to this study was conducted as follows: * A literature study of available, relevant literature. * An empirical study comprising self-structured questionnaires completed by 304 undergraduate economic students of the University of Zululand (Durban-Umlazi Campus). The findings revealed, inter alia, that there are more female students engaged in further tertiary education; some students find it difficult to obtain career information; great difficulty is experienced by some students in getting to 'know themselves'; some students are not adequately trained in decision-making skills, and there is a limited number of trained vocational guidance counsellors to help them with career related problems. In the light of the aims and findings of the study, the following were recommended to tertiary educational institutions: provision of career resource centres; availability of trained vocational and subject advisors; establishment of employment contact offices, and an active mechanism should be set in motion to assist students to 'know themselves' and to develop their decision-making skills. This investigation has the following value: * It provides information on necessary prerequisites to enter economic-related careers. * The research served as an indicator of the relevance of economics in certain career aspirations.
- ItemSchool vocational guidance counsellors' role pertaining to a career in commerce(1997) Naidoo, Emmanuel Rajugopal Gangia; Urbani, G.; Vos, M.S.South Africa faces massive unemployment. The two major employers are the government and commercial enterprises of the private sector. Owing to restrictive fiscal policies, government has little leeway to create major employment opportunities. Greater emphasis is being placed on the commercial sector to fulfil this need. Vocational guidance counsellors ought to help a child acquire work-related knowledge in the classroom, thus saving them time, and sometimes the pain, of learning the hard way. By directing this research specifically at vocational guidance, much could be done by the guidance counsellor to help children towards embarking on a career in commerce. The aims of this study are: * To pursue a study of relevant literature on school guidance counselling. * To undertake an empirical investigation into the school guidance counsellor's role pertaining to a career in commerce. * To provide certain guidelines and recommendations regarding the school guidance counsellor's role with regards to a career in commerce. Research with regard to this study was conducted as follows: * A literature study of available, relevant literature. * An empirical study comprising structured questionnaires completed by guidance teachers of secondary schools. A Likert type scale questionnaire with three response categories; viz. Agree, Disagree and Uncertain, was constructed. The three response categories ensured that the respondents' selections fell into one of the categories enabling the measurement of the direction and intensity of their perceptions of the school vocational guidance counsellor's role pertaining to a career in commerce. Fifty -one respondents, representing guidance teachers and guidance counsellors were randomly selected from 14 secondary schools in Southern KwaZulu-Natal. With the aim of administering questionnaires in schools, it was necessary to first obtain permission from the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal. Only after such permission was granted, was the researcher able to conduct this study. The primary data was in the form of a response to one of the three response categories (Agree, Disagree, Uncertain). Scores of the responses to each of the three categories were calculated. The descriptive technique was employed for the quantitative analysis of the data. This investigation has the following value: * It will provide an image of school vocational guidance counsellors' perceptions of their role pertaining to a career in commerce. * Certain guidelines can be formulated to encourage the support of the school vocational guidance counsellor's task. Anticipated dissemination of the research findings: * The research findings will culminate in articles (of accredited journals) and will be submitted to the relevant Education Department for possible implementation. * Findings from the research can be useful in planning of suitable methods (workshops, videos, etc.) to assist school vocational guidance counsellors and teachers of school guidance to meet the future vocational needs of their pupils. The topic lends itself to further research by interested stakeholders.