Perceptions of Tourism Students towards Career Choice in the Kenyan Tourism Industry: A Comparative study of Moi University and Kenya Utalii College

Abstract

Previous investigations into tourism career choices and course of study selection have provided insights into the range of career influences and perceptions among tourism students. Numerous studies have been done in universities and middle level colleges in many countries of the world on the perceptions of tourism students towards career choice. However, few studies have been carried out focusing on the process and context in which the Kenyan tourism students make decisions about their careers. The study objectives were meant to; establish the types of tourism careers preferred by most tourism students, establish the preparedness of tourism students for careers in the tourism industry, determine the relationship between tourism students‟ internal and external motivations and career choices in the tourism industry, and determine the career preference of tourism students for formal employment, informal employment and entrepreneurship. The study hypothesized that there was no statistical significant relationship between internal and external motivations and the choice of tourism career among tourism students. It was designed to evaluate from the students' perspective, the usefulness of information given at times of decision-making and factors that facilitate or hinder their post school choices. This study adopted a Cognitive Motivational Theory and Attribution Theory which identifies the impact of internal and external factors affecting student career decisions. This study was descriptive and comparative study that utilized quantitative and qualitative research methodology. Respondents were from Moi University (MU) in Eldoret and Kenya Utalii College (KUC) in Nairobi, both of which are public and leading training institutions widely known to offer tourism courses in Kenya. The target population was made up of 660 persons which comprised of 478 students from Moi University Department of Tourism Management, 163 students from KUC and a total of 19 lecturers – 11 from Department of Tourism Management and 8 from KUC. From the total population, 192 student respondents were chosen for the study using stratified simple random sampling based on their year of study, and 5 lecturers with over five years experience in teaching were chosen purposively from both institutions. Questionnaires were administered to tourism students and semi-structured interviews to tourism lecturers. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Content Analysis was undertaken for qualitative data; whereas independent sample means, and correlation measures were used as the inferential statistical techniques for quantitative data. Information was presented in tables and graphs to simplify interpretation. The results revealed that external motivational factors played more important roles than the internal ones. It was also revealed that a large proportion of students at the diploma level would opt to pursue entrepreneurship for wealth generation and sustain their livelihoods as compared to the undergraduates who had more focus on further education and formal employment. It is recommended that higher education institutions should network to facilitate the interaction between students and employers through on-the-job training, guest speakers, alumni or internship programs that mediate expectations. The learning institutions offering tourism courses should also develop career development plans in their marketing activities that target potential students in high schools within their catchment areas. There is also a need for the inclusion of career counsellors in admission committees for the proper guidance, and each level of education should be capable of helping the tourism students in making smooth transition from the learning institution to careers.