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High school career exploration is essential for students to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and discover career paths that align with their strengths and interests. Career exploration involves activities that enhance self-awareness and comprehension of the career landscape, leading to improved career development through the assessment of skills, strengths, weaknesses, values, interests, goals, and plans. The goal of this study was to confirm the need of a career exploration program for homeschool students in suburban, urban, and rural Texas capital region. Confirming this need would lay the foundation for the design of a career exploration program based on the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) framework and the community of inquiry (CoI) framework for online education.
In 2023, homeschooled students accounted for 5% of the total student population in the United States, with approximately 750,000 homeschooled students in Texas. This growing demographic highlights the need for career guidance resources tailored to homeschooled high school students. Homeschool parents are typically the primary decision-makers regarding curriculum and educational investments. For this research, data was systematically gathered from these stakeholders to inform the design of the CE program and ensure it meets the real needs of this specific market.
The study research question was: How can the CE program effectively address the specific needs of the homeschool high school population in the suburban, urban, and rural areas of the Texas capital region? The needs assessment results indicated that homeschool parents highly value a comprehensive program that includes increasing self-understanding, the role of a career coach, accessibility, flexibility, and career research skills.
A well-designed career exploration program tailored for this population can significantly aid in developing their vocational identity and making informed career decisions by exposing them to a diverse range of career possibilities. The needs assessment gathered specific stakeholders’ feedback to meet the needs and expectations of homeschool parents, ensuring the CE program is relevant, practical, and aligned with the aspirations and goals of the target population.