Upon successful completion of Grade 9, South African Senior Phase learners are expected to choose a total of 7 subjects for the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase of their schooling life, namely 3 years (Grades 10–12). These subject choices are most likely to influence the learners’ future. With this study we investigated the nature of peer-group influence on FET- learners’ subject choices in shaping the groundwork for their lifelong career development. Four FET participants aged between 15 and 16 years who had selected subjects in Grade 9 participated in the research. The data collected included 3 data sets: individual semi-structured interviews, individually crafted collages in a group setting and a focus-group interview at the school. The data gathered were analysed using qualitative content data analysis to identify themes and recurring patterns from the data. The findings show that 2 of the 4 participants had experienced positive peer influence during the process of selecting subjects for the FET Phase. One participant reported strong influence by parents and teachers in the selection of his subjects; another reported independently undertaking the process of selecting subjects. We advocate for contextually appropriate career guidance for learners in the Senior Phase for making informed career choices before entering the FET Phase of schooling.

https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v46n3a2631

ORCiD iDs of authors:
Aygul Salieva Mehmedova - https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4238-309X
Boitumelo Molebogeng Diale - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2007-4416