Ms.Madhavi Wairagade
B.Tech.(Chemical), MBA(Human Resource Management)
Director HR-Admin ,Jhulelal Institute of Technology , Nagpur
Abstract:
High school is an important time in the lives of all teenagers. Our current generation of teenagers want to change the world. With all the information and choices available, teens can get confused about who they are and what their mission is in life.
Trying to understand their own strengths, interests and skills can be stressful. So many teens don’t have a clear path for their future career. This is where are career aptitude test can be helpful to give students an idea of what to do after high school. When teens are unsure of what profession would be suitable for them, a high school career aptitude test is able to guide them in the right direction. It measures their natural talents, abilities and which field match their personality and which careers they may have an aptitude for.
This paper examines those characteristics of aptitude test that lend students to development challenges and describes the role of the aptitude test as a potential driver in career growth. The study has shown that the investing in aptitude test is one of the ways an institutes can develop students, while reaping other benefits like improved confidence, fast decision making which is ultimately resulted in good results . The study is carried out in one of the prestigious educational institute in Nagpur which strongly believes that aptitude test is an
effective tool for making career selection more effective. Data has been collected through the process of interviewing higher authorities and students of the institute and by conducting questionnaire survey for students. Samples of students for survey are selected randomly, whereas samples of higher authorities for interview are selected according to convenience. Collected data has been systematically pooled for further analysis. Hypothesis testing has been done with the help of chi square test.
Keywords: aptitude test, career selection, , confidence, decision making, results.
Introduction:
Aptitude is basically defined as an innate, learned or acquired ability of an individual to perform certain tasks. Aptitude tests inculcate many factors like Numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, abstract reasoning, speed, accuracy, and other such abilities.
Aptitude test is the corner stone of sound career, it make students more effective and confident in taking their career decision. Aptitude test is an integral part of the whole education system. Aptitude tests designed for educational purposes include the Scholastic Assessment Test SAT and the American College Testing Exam ACT. These aptitude tests are created to gauge one’s overall academic competency. Such tests are also used at various times during a child’s life in order to determine if he or she is in the appropriate grade in school or if adjustments need to be made. Additionally, achievement tests are frequently used by educators to measure a student’s performance and comprehension in a variety of subjects.
Aptitude test determines which academic field or career best fit students’ personality. It help students seeking entrance to engineering field a lot.An aptitude test for students helps these adolescents feel assured that they will be happy in their engineering profession after high school.
In addition, the in-depth report following aptitude test provides recommended occupations that will suit student’s interest.Some students know what they wanted to do with their life; but there are others who are constantly confused and always changing their career goal.
Aptitude tests help students by:
- Making the process of choosing a degree program in college simpler. Making it all the more important for a college student to identify his or her preference, as well as which field he or she is comfortable working within.
- Being guided towards the specific occupations that capitalize on their skill sets and interests.
- Picking the right college the first time. College is an important decision and it is natural to feel confused or even stressed.
- Learning what career options will be most satisfying or interesting. Students can then discover more about the jobs that match their results and learn the particulars of them.
- Assessing their own skill level, competence and interests. The tests help students recognize the strengths they have and show them how their specific assets correspond to various professions.
These tests are not meant to restrict one’s options or express that an individual can only fare well in a specific field; they’re simply intended to aid them in finding the vocations that go with their results. There are no right or wrong answers and the test is not meant to pigeonhole a teen into one type of job. Making a decision on a career direction is a big decision. Deciding to go to college and pursue a profession is one of the most important decisions a person will ever make, making it all the more important to choose the right career field the first time around. A large number of students are having a hard time deciding between career choices. Finding a career aptitude test helps them narrow their choices, as well as to choose a career path that is compatible with their natural abilities.
Objectives:
- To analyze the importance of aptitude test in career selection.
- To analyze the relation between students’ performance in aptitude test and their suitability for engineering career.
Evidences from the Institute under study:
Engineering Institute under study used to conduct aptitude test of the students inspiring for engineering admissions and provide counselling by experts for selection of appropriate career.
Aptitude test is playing an important role directly or indirectly in enhancing academic results of the institute. From the inception of the institute every year institute is having university rankers and 100% placement records. Institute is able to run much more smoothly with successful and determined students. Management ,faculties and students of the institute gives credit to the guidance and counselling process of the institute after conduction of aptitude test. The institute is having more focused students with respect to their career.
Higher authorities of the institute explicitly shared that choosing a career is one of the most important decisions of student’s life and it is natural to feel confused or even stressed about it. They are constantly bugged by relatives, parents and friends firing the same question day after day, “What after 12th ?” It is one of those decisions that sticks with them throughout their lives and has a really huge impact on their outlook towards life itself. It helps in shaping up the life that they want to create. Considering the heavy weightage attached to this decision, it becomes rather imperative that deciding on a career option is not something that can be done half heartedly or under the influence of friends and family. It is something that requires thought and planning.
It is important to understand that choosing a career does not simply mean deciding upon the ultimate career profile which will guide student through the gates of success and fame; rather it means that a student should have the potential to grow with that career and achieve success through his/her decision.
That is why it is very important for every student to understand what is embodied within the word
Aptitude and why an Aptitude Test for career selection is important when tracing their path. towards success and growth.
Many times students make a mistake while choosing their career according to their interest. It is very important to understand that interest and aptitude are two different things. Having interest in a particular subject or career does not necessarily mean that an individual has the aptitude or potential to perform well in that particular area and achieve success.
Research Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis: There is no relation between Students’ performance in aptitude test and their suitability for engineering career .
Alternative Hypothesis: There is positive relation between Students’ performance in aptitude test and their suitability for engineering career .
Research Methodology
Study is carried out by taking into consideration the opinions of management members,faculties and students from the educational institute in Nagpur. An interview is conducted with the senior authorities at the institute having responsibility for students’ counselling ..For questionnaire survey , sample of 80 students were selected out of a pool of 100 (with margin error of 5% and confidence level of 95%). Samples are representatives of different departments.
Chi square test has been used to analyze the collected data.
Analysis and interpretation
Table:1
Review of Aptitude test with respect to selection of engineering career..
Table: 2
Analysis of chi square test
Degree of freedom = (R-1)(C-1) = 1
Value of Chi square at degree of freedom 1 is 3.84
Since tabulated value is greater than table value so Null hypothesis is rejected and alternative hypothesis is accepted. Hence there is a positive relationship between Students’ performance in aptitude test and their suitability for engineering career .
Aptitude test contribution to engineering career from year 2012 to 2015
Review of Aptitude test results with respect to engineering admissions in the institute.
Graph showing Aptitude test contribution to engineering career From year 2012 to 2015
From the above graph it is clearly observed that aptitude test results in numeric, verbal and reasoning is continuously increased which resulted in enhanced admissions in engineering.
Conclusion
Aptitude based performance is developmental over the long term , only if institutes have incentives to acquire and utilize aptitude test, including meaningful opportunities to leverage aptitude tests to improve performance in engineering career .
It becomes very important to choose a career in which student have both the necessary degrees of interest and potential in order to achieve success. They need to utilize the power of career assessment before selection of a particular career option or career path. This is what will ensure that students grow and develop their abilities along through the career option that best suits the development of their aptitude.
Aptitude tests can be a valuable resource for students to get started in a direction that will make them happy and successful.
The experience of the institute under study is, the higher performance in aptitude test is directly correlated to higher results in degree examination .Students’ determination is directly proportional to their aptitude test performance and hence aptitude test performance reflects students’ ability to select engineering career.
Reference:
www.idreamcareer.com/blog/importance-of-aptitude-test
Kothari. C.R : „Research Methodology Methods & Techniques‟, New Age International Publishers, New Delhi, 2nd Edition.(2004)
Abhijit Bora, “Higher Education: A Few Stray Thoughts, University News, Weekly Journal Higher Association of Indian Education Universities, Vol – 49, Nov 14-20, 2011
