FACTORS INFLUENCING STUDENTS' CHOICE OF STEM CAREERS: A STUDY OF GENDER AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS

The persistent underrepresentation of women and students from lower socioeconomic status (LSES) backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields represents a critical concern for educational equity, economic competitiveness, and social mobility. This study investigated the factors influencing secondary school students' career choices in STEM, with particular attention to the roles of gender and socioeconomic status. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, the research collected quantitative survey data from 420 secondary school students across public and private schools, followed by semi-structured interviews with 30 students selected to represent diverse gender and socioeconomic backgrounds. The theoretical framework integrated Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and the effectively maintained inequality (EMI) framework to examine how personal inputs, contextual supports, and self-efficacy beliefs shape STEM career aspirations. Findings revealed significant gender differences in STEM career interests, with male students showing stronger interest in engineering and physical sciences, while female students gravitated toward biological sciences and medical careers. Socioeconomic status emerged as a powerful predictor, with students from higher SES backgrounds demonstrating significantly greater STEM career aspirations and access to STEM-related resources, including qualified teachers, advanced coursework, and parental STEM role models. Importantly, the interaction between gender and SES revealed that LSES female students faced compounded disadvantages, experiencing both gender-based stereotyping and resource constraints. The study identified teacher encouragement, parental STEM education, inquiry-based learning experiences, and perceptions of career utility as key mediators of STEM career choices. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions that address both structural barriers and sociocultural factors shaping STEM career trajectories. Recommendations include expanding access to STEM enrichment programs for LSES students, implementing gender-inclusive pedagogies, and providing comprehensive career information to support informed decision-making.

Keywords: STEM career choice, gender disparities, socioeconomic status, Social Cognitive Career Theory, secondary education, career aspirations