An Exploration of Factors Affecting Students’ Choice of Career Paths in Communication Design

Anthony Kofi Badu; Ginn Bonsu Assibey; Prosper  Seenam; Ralitsa Diana  Debrah

doi:10.4314/just.v42i2.1568

Mr. Anthony Kofi Badu Department of Communication Design, Kwame Nkrumah University of science and Technology
Dr. Ginn Bonsu Assibey Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Mr. Prosper Seenam
Dr Ralitsa Diana Debrah Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Ghana

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/just.v42i2.1568

Keywords: communication design, SPSS, career path, self-awareness

Abstract

Some students make wrong choices in specialisations once enrolled in Communication Design programmes, which affects them while they are studying and goes a long way to affect them negatively in their careers in the future. It is based on this choice-making challenge that this study was conducted to explore the factors that affect students in making career path choices in Universities. The study used a quantitative approach and used questionnaires to collect data from 348 former students of the Communication Design Department of one University of Technology. The gathered data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). It was discovered that personal interest, personal skills and competencies, personal values and mentorship/work experience were the four most influential factors that affect the career path and choices of the students. Social and cultural factors and educational institutions, do affect the career choices of students, but not much. The major challenges to career choices identified by this study was a lack of guidance and counselling. This was followed by a lack of self-awareness, social expectations, lack of, or limited information and financial constraints.

Author Biographies

Mr. Anthony Kofi Badu, Department of Communication Design, Kwame Nkrumah University of science and Technology

Anthony Kofi Badu is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Communication Design,
Faculty of Art, KNUST. He holds MBA Marketing from the School of Business, KNUST. He
has taught several courses relating to Print Production, Advertising and Branding. His areas
of interest are Service Design, Service Quality, Advertising, Graphic Design Production and
Brands Management. Anthony is a member of the following professional bodies; Advertising
Association of Ghana (AAG), Ghana Institute of Graphic Artists and Pan Afrikan Design
Institute.

Dr. Ginn Bonsu Assibey, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Dr. Ginn Bonsu Assibey is an accomplished design educator and researcher with expertise in interventions for sustainable design, advertising design, social innovation and research methodology for design-led practices. He has a doctorate in Design Technology from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa. Currently, he is a lecturer at the Department of Communication Design at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. His research delves into sustainable design, social innovation, and cutting-edge advertising techniques. Embracing both interpretivism and pragmatism paradigms, his research approaches emphasize active learning through participation. He is also a member of Design Educators Forum of Southern Africa, Pan Africa Design Institute and International Upcycling Research Network.

Mr. Prosper Seenam

Prosper Seenam is a statistician with strong analytical skills in using different statistical softwares. He has analyzed several governmental and non-governmental data for a number of years. He is currently working on different projects focusing more on combining qualitative and quantitative approaches for a stronger data driven decisions.

Dr Ralitsa Diana Debrah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Ghana

Dr Ralitsa Diana Debrah is a design educator and researcher at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. She is a member of several design organizations including, the Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability Network (DESIS); LeNSes network, World Design Organisation – Young Designers Cycles (WDO- YDC), e/merge Africa, DRAW CPUT, DesignGhana and PADI. She also currently serves as the Afrikan Ambassador to the Open Design Afrika (ODA) organisation.