Lithuanian gymnasium students’ career education: Professional self-determination context

Professional self-determination/career choice is one of the most essential things in a young human’s life. Choosing a further life path is rather complicated. Self-cognition, harmony of one’s abilities and desires is difficult to be achieved. It is important for the young people to choose a profession corresponding to their interests, values, inclinations. It is not less important that the work/chosen profession would have a demand in the labour market. So, professional self-determination is inseparable from the all-round and directional personality education. A representative, complex research was conducted at the beginning of 2018, in which 643 Lithuanian gymnasium 11-12 grade students participated. Applying a questionnaire as an instrument, the gathered data were analysed using measures of descriptive statistics, correlation and factor analysis. In this research, it was emphasized on how Lithuanian gymnasium students valued their future personal career, how they planned their future professional activity, and the internal structure of the career choice process was established. The most significant factors for career choice were Personal feature importance, Profession prospects, and Important people’s position. The least significant factor was Coincidence factors. Some gender differences were found in significance of the factors contributing to career choice. Research results allow stating that differentiated and individualised approach remains urgent in the career education of students in the gymnasium. The role of psychologists, social workers and professional consultants working at school and its development remains very important as well.