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7907326
DUNCAN, CLARA SH ADE
A STUDY OF 1 HE K I N D S OF I N F O R M A T I O N AND
S K I L L S I N CARE ER P L A N N I N G AND PLACEMENT
P R OV I D E D BY VC CAT I ONAL B U S I N E S S TEACHERS AND
GUI DANCE COUNSELORS I N M I C H I G A N HI GH SCHOOLS.
MICHIGAN

U rtw itv .
Microfilms
Intenwtorvd

ST ATE U N I V E R S I T Y ,

x »o n

m

© Copyright by
CLARA SHADE DUNCAN

b h o a u . a n n a h b o r , m i a b io g

P H .D .,

197b

A STUDY OF THE KINDS OF INFORMATION AND SKILLS IN CAREER
PLANNING AND PLACEMENT PROVIDED BY VOCATIONAL
BUSINESS TEACHERS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS
IN MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOLS
By
Clara Shade Duncan

A DISSERTATION
Submitted to
Michigan State University
1n p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of the requirements
fo r the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department o f Secondary Education and Curriculum
1978

ABSTRACT
A STUDY OF THE KINDS OF INFORMATION AND SKILLS IN CAREER
PLANNING AND PLACEMENT PROVIDED BY VOCATIONAL
BUSINESS TEACHERS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS
IN MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOLS
By
Clara Shade Duncan
Statement of the Problem.
fo ld :

The problem of the study was two­

( ! ) to determine the nature and extent of the Involvement of

vocational business teachers and guidance counselors 1n providing
specific kinds o f Information and s k ills 1n career planning and place­
ment, and (2 ) to ascertain th e ir opinions regarding the career plan­
ning and placement resp o n sib ilities of the vocational business
teacher, guidance counselor, and placement coordinator.
Research Procedures.

The descriptive survey method employing

the questionnaire was used to obtain data fo r this study.

The

questionnaire was validated by a jury panel and pretested 1n a p ilo t
study.

The population of the study consisted of a ll vocational busi­

ness teachers and guidance counselors 1n secondary schools 1n the
State of Michigan operating a state-approved Cooperative O ffice Educa­
tion Program.

Schools were grouped according to enrollment size, and

a disproportlonal random sample of schools was drawn.

A ll vocational

business teachers and a maximum of three guidance counselors chosen a t
random were surveyed 1n the sample schools.

Usable questionnaires

were returned from approximately 62 percent o f the sample.

Clara Shade Duncan
Findings.

Vocational business teachers generally Indicated a

high degree of Involvement 1n the majority of the Information and
s k ills 1n career planning and placement.

Vocational business teachers

were most Involved 1n providing self-placement s k ills and lea st
Involved 1n providing placement a c tiv itie s .
Guidance counselors did not appear to be effective participants
1n career planning and placement o f vocational o ffic e students as
evidenced by th e ir low degree of Involvement 1n the m ajority o f the
Information and s k ills .

Guidance counselors Indicated the highest

degree of Involvement 1n providing career Information and the lowest
degree of Involvement In providing placement a c tiv itie s .
Research hypotheses compared groups o f respondents In th e ir
Involvement 1n providing three categories of Information and s k ills ,
and s ta tis tic a l significance was achieved showing the following:
1.

Vocational business teachers were more involved than guidance
counselors 1n providing career Information, self-placement
s k ills and placement a c tiv itie s .

2.

When vocational business teachers were divided Into two groups
and compared with guidance counselors, teachers were found to
be more Involved than guidance counselors In providing only
two of the three categories—career Information and s e lf­
placement s k ills . Teacher/coordinators, however, were more
involved than guidance counselors 1n providing career informa­
tion , self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

3.

Among vocational business teachers, teacher/coordinators were
more Involved 1n placement a c tiv itie s than teachers.
Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors perceived

the Information and s k ills to be the respo nsib ilities of the voca­
tio n al business teacher and placement coordinator.

Both groups

generally assigned self-placement s k ills to the vocational business
teacher and placement a c tiv itie s to the placement coordinator.

Clara Shade Duncan
Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors believe
the guidance counselor should participate 1n the career planning and
placement of students.

However, both groups appeared not to know

exactly what specific Information and s k ills the guidance counselor
should provide.
Respondents believe there exists a need fo r a placement
coordinator at th e ir school, and described current placement e ffo rts
as "mostly an Informal service where teachers, coop coordinators, and
guidance counselors help place students."
The following recommendations are among those made:
1.

Each school should employ an Individual 1n the position of

placement coordinator whose primary and only resp o n sib ility should be
to coordinate a comprehensive placement e ffo rt 1n the school.

Although

others may be Involved, the placement coordinator should coordinate the
career planning and placement e ffo rts p artic u larly o f teachers and
guidance counselors to meet the needs of a ll students 1n the school.
2.

The placement coordinator should be prim arily responsible for

those Information and s k ills concerned with securing job placements
fo r students through close contact with representatives of business
and industry, and coordinating the delivery of career information and
self-placement s k ills by guidance counselors and teachers.
3.

In-service workshops should be conducted involving teachers,

guidance counselors, and placement coordinators, 1n which each p a rtic i­
pant is made aware o f his role 1n the career planning and placement
process and the roles o f other participants 1n terms o f sp ecific,
concrete kinds of Information and s k ills to be provided and how to
provide them.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would lik e to acknowledge the support and assistance
o f several people who helped make th is study and doctoral program
possible.
Sincere appreciation 1s extended to the vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors 1n Michigan who cooperated 1n this
Investigation.
A debt of gratitude, appreciation, and thanks to the following
persons:
To Dr. Zane Qulble, Dr. James Page, and Dr. Carl Brautlgam,
members o f the dissertation committee, who gave excellent constructive
suggestions during the development o f this Investigation;
To Dr. Robert Poland, Chairman of the Dissertation Committee,
fo r his patience, guidance, and encouragement throughout the en tire
doctoral program and dissertation; and
To Dr. Peter G. Haines fo r his most timely encouragement, and
to Mr. John Shlngleton, Director o f Placement Services, fo r his
support.
F in a lly , I would lik e to acknowledge the love and support
provided by my daughter, Crystal Lynn.

Her continued s a c rific e ,

understanding, moral support, and sense of humor, made the entire
doctoral program possible.

11

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLES ..............................................................................................

v

LIST OF APPENDICES...................................................................................v111
Chapter
I.

INTRODUCTION

....................................................................................

1

Statement o f the Problem ............................................................
3
6
Purpose of the S t u d y .................................................................
Need fo r the S t u d y .......................................................................
7
Delimitations of the Study
......................................................
11
Limitations of the S t u d y .................................................................. 11
D efin itio n o f Terms .......................................................................
11
Organization o f the Study ............................................................
13
II.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ......................................................

15

Related Research Studies ............................................................
15
Status o f Career Guidance* Counseling and Placement . .
18
Impact o f Career Education on Career Guidance
Counseling and Placement
......................................................
32
44
The Michigan Scene ................................................ . . . .
Summary..................................................................................................... 51
III.

RESEARCH PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGY

.....................................

53

Population
..........................................................................................54
Selection o f Participants ............................................................
54
Instrumentation .............................................................................
58
Analysis o f D a ta ....................................................................................60
IV.

F IN D IN G S ................................................................................................ 62
*

Involvement o f Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance
Counselors 1n Providing Specific Kinds o f Information
and S k ills 1n Career Planning and Placement . . . .

111

63

Chapter

Page
Opinions o f Vocational Business Teachers and
Guidance Counselors Regarding Career Planning and
Placement Responsibilities o f Vocational Business
Teacher, Guidance Counselor, and Placement
C o o rd in ato r......................................................................................... 96

V.

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

........................

140

F i n d i n g s ............................................................................................. 141
C o n c lu s io n s ....................................................................................... 151
Recommendations ............................................................................
155
BIBLIOGRAPHY

..............................................................................................

158

APPENDICES......................................................................................................... 165

1v

LIST OF TABLES
Table

Page

1.

Sample Selection

2.

Distribution o f Final Returns o f Questionnaires from
Guidance Counselors and Vocational Business Teachers
in Michigan Schools
.................................... . . . . .

57

Summary Table o f the Means, Standard Deviations, and Rank
Order of the Responses of Vocational Business Teachers
and Guidance Counselors Regarding th e ir Involvement in
Providing Specific Kinds of Information and S k ills in
Career Planning and Placement ..............................................

64

Rank Order of the Kinds of Information and S k ills 1n
Career Planning and Placement Provided by Vocational
Business T e a c h e r s ........................................................................

73

Rank Order of the Kinds o f Information and S k ills in
Career Planning and Placement Provided by Guidance
C o u n s e lo r s ...................................................................................

78

Summary Table o f the Mean Involvement Scores and Standard
Deviations o f Four Groups o f Respondents Across Three
Categories o f Items in Career Planning and Placement
.

83

Hypotheses One and Two: Results o f M ultivariate Analysis
o f Variance to Determine Differences Between Groups of
Respondents Regarding th e ir Involvement 1n Career
Planning and Placement..................................................................

85

Results o f Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences
Between Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance
Counselors Regarding Their Involvement in Providing
Career Information, Self-Placement S k ills and
Placement A c tiv itie s .................................................................

66

Result of Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences
Between Teachers and Teacher/Coordinators Regarding
th e ir Involvement 1n Providing Career Information,
Self-Placement S k ills and Placement A c tiv itie s
. . .

87

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

.............................................................................

v

56

Table
10.

Page
Hypotheses Three and Four: Results o f M ultivariate
Analysis o f Variance to Determine Differences
Between Groups of Respondents Regarding th e ir
Involvement 1n Career Planning and Placement . .

.

89

Result of Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences
Between Teachers and Guidance Counselors Regarding
th e ir Involvement 1n Providing Career Information,
Self-Placement S k ills and Placement A c tiv itie s
. . .

90

Result of Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences
Between Teacher/Coordinators and Guidance Counselors
Regarding th e ir Involvement 1n Providing Career
Information, Self-Placement S k ills , and Placement
A c t i v i t i e s ...................................................................................

92

13.

Summary Table:

.........................

95

14.

Summary Table of Frequency and Percent o f Responses of
Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors
Regarding the Kinds of Information and S k ills to be
Provided by the Vocational Business Teacher, Guidance
Counselor and Placement Coordinator ....................................

97

Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities o f the
Vocational Business Teacher as Perceived by Vocational
Business Teachers .......................................................................

105

Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities o f the
Placement Coordinator as Perceived by Vocational
Business Teachers .......................................................................

108

Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities o f the
Guidance Counselor as Perceived by Guidance Counselors .

Ill

11.

12.

15.

16.

17.

Hypotheses One Through Four

.

18.

Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities o f the
Vocational Business Teacher as Perceived by Guidance
C o u n s e lo r s ................................................................................112

19.

Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities o f the
Placement Coordinator as Perceived by Guidance
C o u n s e lo r s ................................................................................115

20.

Results of Ch1-Square Test of Homogeneity to Determine
Agreement Between Guidance Counselors and Vocational
Business Teachers Regarding Kinds o f Information and
S k ills to be Provided by the Vocational Business
Teacher, Guidance Counselor and Placement Coordinator

v1

.

119

Table
21.

Page
Description o f Job Placement a t Individual School as
Indicated by 369 Vocational Business Teachers and
Guidance Counselors ..........................................................................

129

22.

Individual at School Designated S p e c ific a lly Responsible
fo r Job Placement on a Day-to-Day Basis as Indicated
by 372 Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance
Counselors..............................................................................................130

23.

T itle s o f Individuals at School Designated S p ecifically
Responsible fo r Job Placement on a Day-to-Day Basis
as Indicated by Vocational Business Teachers and
Guidance Counselors ..........................................................................

131

24. Need fo r a Placement Coordinator as Expressed by Vocational
Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors
........................

133

25. Involvement 1n Career Planning and Placement of Vocational
Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors Grouped
According to Responses Regarding the Need for a
Placement Coordinator ..................................................................

134

26.

Result o f Two-Way Analysis of Variance to Determine In te r­
action Effects Between Vocational Business Teachers and
Guidance Counselors According to th e ir Rerponses
Regarding the Need fo r a Placement Coordinator . . . .

27. Person(s) Who Should Have Primary Responsibility fo r
Career Planning and Placement o f Vocational Office
Students as Expressed by 182 Vocational Business
Teachers and 188 Guidance Counselors ....................................

v11

136

138

LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix

Page

A. Sample o f L etter to Participants ..........................................

166

8.

168

Sample Questionnaire ..................................................................

C. Sample Follow-up Postcard

......................................................

D. C lassification of Questionnaire Items
E. Pearson Correlation C oefficient

vi 11

176

...............................

178

...........................................

180

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

The Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 represent the
f i r s t s ig n ifica n t le g is la tio n 1n d ire c t support of vocational
guidance, counseling, and placement.

In Part D--Exemplary Programs

and Projects, Congress provided specific categorical funding for
“programs or projects for Intensive occupational guidance and
counseling during the la s t years o f school and for I n it ia l job
placement."^
The high level of youth unemployment was of primary concern
to Congress.

Approximately eight out of ten high school dropouts

had never had counseling regarding training or employment oppor­
tu n itie s , and four out of ten high school graduates had never had
such counseling.

In stating the purpose of Part D o f the 1968

Amendments, Section 141 reads:
The Congress finds that i t 1s necessary to reduce the
continuing seriously high level o f youth unemployment by
developing means fo r giving the same kind of attention
as 1s now given to the college preparation needs of
those young persons who go on to college, to the job
preparation needs o f the two out of three young persons
who end th e ir education at or before completion of the
U .S ., Congress, House, Committee on Education and Labor,
Vocational Education Amendments o f 1968, H.R, 18366, Report No.
1938, by Dari b. Perkins (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing
O ffice, 1968), p. 20.

2
secondary le v e l, too many o f whom face long and b itte r
months of job hunting or marginal work a fte r leaving
school. The purposes o f th is p art, therefore, are to
stimulate . . . new ways to create a bridge between
school and earning a liv in g . . . . z
This le g is la tio n recognized a growing concern fo r the need to
provide students not only with occupational s k ills , but also with
assistance 1n
th e ir choice.

career planning and job placement 1n the occupation of
Also, 1n the 1972 education amendments, Congress

directed the Commissioner o f Education to promote and encourage job
placement services as the resp o nsib ility of even elementary and
secondary schools.
Placement defined simply "Includes assisting youth to secure
part-tim e and

summer employment, fu ll-tim e employment a fte r th e ir

school career Is terminated, and

placement In post high school

educational and train ing situations."

3

A comprehensive d efin itio n

of Placement Services 1s as follows:
School-based Placement Services cover the e n tire range of
assistance offered by a school to help the student develop
and implement his or her career plan. These services help
students to choose and successfully reach placement
goals . . . .4
The high level of youth unemployment was a major factor 1n
drawing attentio n to the Importance and necessity of providing
youth with job placement assistance a t the secondary le v e l.

However,

2 Ib 1d ., p. 19.
3
William Hopke, Dictionary of Personnel and Guidance Terms
(Chicago: 0. G. Ferguson Publishing Co., 1968}, p. 271.
^Placement Guide in Career Education Handbook fo r Imple­
mentation, Program Development Section (Lansing, Michigan:
Department o f Education, n .d .), p. V-2.

3
the primary impetus has been the Career Education Movement of the
1970s.

The fundamental concept of career education is that a ll

types o f educational experiences should Involve preparation fo r
economic independence, personal fu lfillm e n t, and appreciation fo r
work.
Central to the career education concept 1s .the school's
resp o nsib ility to actively assist a ll students in implementing th e ir
career coals.

School-based placement services a t the secondary level

1s one way of assisting youth 1n th is area, and many states have
moved to develop guidelines and implement a placement service in
th e ir schools.
Statement of the Problem
The problem of this study was twofold:

(1) to determine

the nature and extent of the involvement o f vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors in providing sp ecific kinds of
information and s k ills in career planning and placement, and (2) to
ascertain th e ir opinions regarding the career planning and placement
resp o n sib ilities of the vocational business teacher, guidance
counselor, and placement coordinator.
This study attempted to answer the following questions:
1.

What kinds of information and s k ills 1n career planning
and placement are provided most frequently by vocational
business teachers?

2.

What kinds o f information and s k ills in career planning and
placement are provided most frequently by guidance counselors?

4
3.

To what extent are vocational business teachers and
guidance counselors Involved 1n providing specific kinds
of Information and s k ills 1n career planning and placement?

4.

Are the information and skills provided most frequently
by vocational business teachers sim ilar to those provided
by guidance counselors?

5.

Are there differences between the responses o f various
types o f respondents regarding the extent of th e ir Involve­
ment 1n providing career Information, self-placement
s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s ?

6.

What kinds o f information and s k ills do vocational business
teachers perceive to be the resp o n s ib ilities of the
vocational business teacher, guidance counselor, and
placement coordinator?

7.

What kinds o f information and s k ills do guidance counselors
perceive to be the resp o n sib ilities o f the vocational
business teacher, guidance counselor, and placement
coordinator?

8.

Do guidance counselors agree with vocational business
teachers regarding the resp o nsib ilities o f the vocational
business teacher, guidance counselor, and placement
coordinator?

9.

Who, 1n the opinions o f guidance counslors, should have
the primary resp o n sib ility fo r career planning and placement
o f vocational o ffic e education students?

5
10. Who, in the opinions o f vocational business teachers,
should have the primary resp o nsib ility fo r career planning
and placement o f vocational o ffic e education students?
11. Do vocational business teachers and guidance counselors
believe there exists a need fo r a placement coordinator?
12. To what extent does the Involvement o f those vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors who Indicate a
need fo r a placement

coordinator d iff e r from those who

Indicate there 1s no need?
13.

What type of placement service currently exists at the
secondary level?
The following null hypotheses w ill be tested:

Hypothesis One
There 1s no difference between the responses of vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors regarding th e ir
Involvement 1n providing career Information, s e lf­
placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .
Hypothesis Two
There 1s no difference between the responses of teachers
and teacher/coordinators regarding th e ir Involvement 1n
providing career Information, self-placement s k ills , and
placement a c tiv itie s .
Hypothesis Three
There is no difference between the responses of teachers
and guidance counselors regarding th e ir involvement 1n
providing career Information, self-placement s k ills , and
placement a c tiv itie s .
Hypothesis Four
There 1s no difference between the responses of teacher/
coordinators and guidance counselors regarding th e ir
Involvement 1n providing career Information, s e lf­
placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

6
Hypothesis Five
There 1s no difference between vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors regarding th e ir Involve­
ment 1n career planning and placement in relationship to
th e ir responses regarding the need fo r a placement
coordinator.
Hypothesis Six
There 1s no difference 1n the extent of Involvement 1n career
planning and placement between those guidance counselors
who Indicate a need fo r a placement coordinator and those
guidance counselors who indicate there Is no need.
Hypothesis Seven
There 1s no difference 1n the extent of Involvement 1n
career planning and placement between those vocational
business teachers who Indicate a need fo r a placement
coordinator and those vocational business teachers who
indicate there 1s no need.
Purpose o f the Study
The specific purposes of th is study were as follows:
1.

To Id e n tify and compare the kinds of Information and s k ills
1n career planning and placement provided secondary
vocational o ffic e education students by vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors and to ascertain
the present level o f th e ir Involvement.

2.

To determine the kinds of Information and s k ills 1n career
planning and placement provided most frequently.

3.

To compare the responses of the following types of
respondents regarding the extent o f th e ir Involvement 1n
three groupings of Items:

career Information, s e lf­

placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

7
a.
b.
c.
d.
4.

Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors.
Teachers and teacher/coordinators.
Teachers and guidance counselors.
Teacher/coordinators and guidance counselors.

To compare the kinds o f Information and s k ills which should
be the responsibility of the vocational business teacher*
guidance counselor, and placement coordinator.

5.

To ascertain the need fo r a placement coordinator at the
secondary level and to make recommendations concerning
resp o nsib ilities.
Need fo r the Study
Assisting youth 1n the transitio n from school to work 1s

considered to be one of the most c r itic a l problems facing education
today.

The Increasing complexity of the work world coupled with

Inadequate career guidance, basic job-seeking s k ills , and placement
assistance makes the transitio n almost Impossible fo r many youth.
Frequently, many who find I n it ia l employment become work dropouts
because they lack job-keeping s k ills .
Although the lite ra tu re 1s f i l l e d with Information which
Id e n tifie s students' need fo r career Information and assistance with
career planning and placement, no previous research has attempted to
Id e n tify and ascertain the Involvement o f vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors 1n providing sp ecific a c tiv itie s
1n career planning and placement.

Several studies can be found

which researched the resp o nsib ilities o f guidance counselors.
However, they generally focused on the to tal guidance program and

8
devoted l i t t l e , i f any* attention to the world of work.

Knezek

comments In her review of the lite ra tu re :
An Increasing number o f studies 1n the general area of
guidance have been published 1n recent years. Generally
there has been more research and other lite ra tu re on the
Individual receiving guidance services than on the world
of work he plans to enter. The lite ra tu re re fle c ts an
emphasis on and preoccupation with the psychological
aspects of guidance* Including the extensive use of
te s ts .5
S im ila rly , studies which have researched the role of
business education teachers 1n guidance have emphasized th e ir role
In the to tal guidance program.

The Morlwakl® study 1s an Indication

that a t least up to 1962, the guidance resp o n sib ilities of business
education teachers focused prim arily on th e ir role 1n the to ta l
guidance program and that th e ir p articipation 1n guidance excluded
any sig nificant emphasis on career planning and placement.
Morlwakl concluded:
The business teacher's resp o nsib ility In the guidance
program 1s to give guidance to students with regard to
selection o f courses o f study* future educational plans*
occupational choices, and personal problems. Also, he
u tiliz e s cumulative records and tes t scores to provide
guidance fo r the s tu d e n t, 7
LaVerne E. Knezek, "Id e n tific a tio n and Analysis o f Kinds of
Information Needed by Community Junior College Students About
Business Career Opportunities" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation,
North Texas State U niversity, 1972), p. 15.
®Takesh1 Morlwakl, "An Analysis, C la s s ific a tio n , and
Synthesis o f Research Findings and Thought on Guidance In Business
Education" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertatio n, Indiana University,
1962).
7Ib1d.

Several studies (W hite,8 Sprehe,^ E ll 1s,^°) do Indicate that
business education teachers should particip ate 1n placement, and '
that placement should be a jo in t resp o nsib ility between guidance
counselors and business teachers.

However, 1n these studies

respondents ty p ic a lly checked "job placement" to Indicate th e ir
particip atio n and no specific a c tiv itie s were enumerated or Id e n ti­
fie d .
Hallam^ at the conclusion of his study to determine new
dimensions fo r research in business education, Included guidance
as one of several secondary areas of business education which needed
fu rther research.

Andrews agrees and comments that " l i t t l e

guidance research 1s designed s p e c ific a lly fo r business education—
12
and business education has not researched Its guidance function."
Ralph L. White, "The Guidance Responsibilities of
Business Education Teachers" (unpublished Ed.D. thesis, Arizona
State U niversity, 1965).
g
Robert Sprehe, "A Study of Guidance and Counseling
Practices as They Relate to Business Education 1n Selected Iowa
High Schools" (unpublished Ph.D. d issertatio n, University of Iowa,
1966).
^8Roger W. El11s, "Guidance Functions and Business Education
1n Arizona Community Colleges" (unpublished Ed.D. thesis, Arizona
State U niversity, 1972).
^James Hallam, "New Dimensions fo r Research 1n Business
Education as Revealed by a Study of the T itle s o f Research Completed,
1954-64, and by an Opinion Survey of a Selected Group o f High School
and College Business Educators Regarding Recommended Research"
(unpublished Ph.D. dissertatio n, The University o f Iowa, 1965).
12

Margaret Andrews, "The Improvement o f Guidance, Placement,
and Follow-Up 1n Business Education," Contributions o f Research to
Business Education, National Business Education Yearbook No. 9
(Washington, D.C.: National Business Education Association, 1971),
p. 130.

10
These studies as well as others Indicate a major gap 1n
previous research.

No previous research has Id e n tifie d specific

career planning and placement a c tiv itie s and attempted to determine
the Involvement of vocational business teachers and guidance
counselors 1n these a c tiv itie s .

Studies which Included job place­

ment 1n a broad range o f guidance services did not Indicate 1f
respondents did more than make re ferra ls to employers.

They did

not Indicate what specific job-seeking s k ills , dec1s1on-mak1ng
s k ills , career Information or placement a c tiv itie s , teachers and
guidance counselors provided students.
The Increasing attention placement 1s receiving at the
secondary level 1s an Indication o f the need to study and evaluate
the roles various school personnel can play 1n meeting the career
planning and placement needs of students 1n terms o f sp e cific , con­
crete resp o n s ib ilities .

Vocational teachers and guidance counselors

have fo r years been the primary providers o f whatever career plan­
ning and placement assistance existed 1n the school.

I t 1s, there­

fo re, appropriate that the p articipation and opinions of these
individuals should be examined f i r s t .

An examination and re d e fin i­

tion o f roles In terms o f sp e cific , assigned resp o n s ib ilities can
contribute to a more comprehensive and organized e ffo r t on the part
o f teachers and counselors, and help avoid duplication.

Also,

regardless o f the present formal or Informal structure of the
school's placement e ffo rts , such a study can provide Information on
the existing placement a c tiv ity in the school which 1s a necessary
prerequisite to establishing any type o f placement e ffo rt.

11
Delim itations o f the Study
1.

Participants were lim ited to vocational business teachers
employed during the school year 1976-1977* and guidance
counselors lis te d 1n the 1976-77 Director o f Elementary
and Secondary Public School Counselors 1n the randomly
selected schools.

2.

The study was lim ited to secondary schools having a
cooperative o ffic e education program 1n the State of
Michigan during the 1976-77 school year.

3.

The survey Instrument was lim ited to selected questions
relatin g to one aspect of vocational development—career
planning and placement.
Lim itations of the Study

1.

Information obtained represented the opinions o f guidance
counselors and vocational business teachers.

2.

The study was subject to the lim itatio n s inherent 1n survey
research u tiliz in g the questionnaire.

Questions were

subject to the Interp retation o f the respondents and 1t
was assumed that respondents answered honestly.
D efin itio n o f Terms
The following d efin itio n s are provided so th at the reader
w ill understand how key terms are being used 1n th is study:
Career Planning refers to the process of Identifying and
investigating Information from relevant sources, both external and

12
In te rn a l, and u tiliz in g the collected information in making informed
and reasonable decisions about one's l i f e career goals.
Placement means providing Information to a student th at leads
d ire c tly to a job.

That is , bringing students in touch with the

available employment opportunities that lead to placement.
Placement A c tiv itie s refers to a ll a c tiv itie s performed
which d ire c tly or in d ire c tly assist students in reaching th e ir
occupational goals.
Placement Services.

" . . .

the e n tire range o f assistance

offered by a school to help the student develop and Implement his or
her career plan.

These services help students to choose and
13
successfully reach placement goals."
Self-Placement S k ills refers to those knowledges and
s k ills which are necessary fo r students to Independently place them­
selves and which help insure long-term success outside the formal
school settin g .
Placement Coordinator.

An individual designated with the

specific re sp o n sib ility, on a day-to-day basis, fo r coordinating
or performing placement a c tiv itie s 1n the school.

The Individual

can be a fu ll-tim e person serving several schools or a part-tim e
person serving one school.
Career Information includes current, accurate, usable
information or materials related to the world o f work, and

13
'Placement Guide, op. c i t . , p. V-2.

13
information concerning training and educational programs leading to
specific occupations.
Vocational Business Teacher refers to any Individual
teaching a State reimbursed vocational o ffic e education program
and/or coordinating a cooperative o ffic e education program.
Teacher refers to the vocational business teacher as
defined 1n th is study who teaches a State reimbursed vocational
o ffic e education program.
Teacher/Coordlnator refers to the vocational business
teacher as defined in th is study who (1 ) coordinates the cooperative
o ffic e education program and (2) teaches the related class and
coordinates the cooperative o ffic e education program.
Vocational O ffice Education refers to that body of subject
matter that provides practical experience organized into programs
o f instruction fo r students to prepare fo r and achieve career
objectives 1n th e ir selected o ffic e occupation.
Organization o f the Study
Chapter I contains the Introduction, statement o f the
problem, purpose and need fo r the study, delim itations and lim ita ­
tions o f the study, definition s o f terms, and organization o f the
study.
Chapter I I 1s a review of related lite ra tu r e and research.
Chapter I I I contains the research procedures and methodology
and Includes the population, selection o f participants, Instrumenta­
tion and data analysis.

14
Chapter IV Includes the findings o f the study covering
the Involvement o f vocational business teachers and guidance
counselors 1n career planning and placement.
Chapter V contains the summary of findings, conclusions,
and recommendations.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

No research or other lite ra tu re relates closely to the prob­
lem of the present study.

The lite ra tu re 1s devoid of studies that

attempt to Id e n tify the specific kinds of information and s k ills
1n career planning and placement provided by vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors.
The discussion 1n this chapter w ill group the lite ra tu r e
reviewed under four major headings:

(1) Related Research Studies;

(2) Status of Career Guidance, Counseling, and Placement;
(3) Impact of Career Education on Career Guidance, Counseling, and
Placement; and (4) The Michigan Scene.

A summary of the chapter

1s presented at the end.
Related Research Studies
Because of the lack o f closely related studies 1n the
lite r a tu r e , only two research studies are discussed 1n th is section.
14
A study by Knezek
1n 1972 1s closely related to the
present study 1n basic Idea.

Knezek attempted to Id e n tify and

analyze the kinds of information needed by community ju n io r college
students about career opportunities 1n business.
14

Knezek, op. c1t.

15

Students, business

16

teachers, and guidance counselors 1n the State o f Texas checked
"Important—Don't know," "Important—Already know," and "Unimportant—
Don't need to know," on a sixty-three Item checklist which covered
the following major categories:
Nature, extent, and locations o f business-related
job opportunities
Vocational and job characteristics and requirements
Monetary rewards
Nonmonetary rewards
Sources of job Information
Knezek concluded th at guidance about career opportunities in
business was inadequate in community jun ior colleges.

The m ajority

of students In a ll groups appeared to need various kinds of Informa­
tion about business-related occupational opportunities.

The Item

ranked highest by a ll students as "Important—Don't know" was "What
businesses hire the largest number of former jun ior college
students?"

Counselors and business teachers were 1n general agree­

ment that students need more business career information.

This

study 1s sim ilar to the present study 1n that an attempt was made
to Id e n tify specific kinds of information relating to one aspect
o f the present study—career Information.
15
In 1972, B llle t t
studied the vocational guidance and
counseling services available fo r high school students enrolled In
vocational o ffic e occupations programs in Tennessee.

15

Guidance

Nancy J. B l l le t t , "An Analysis of the Guidance and
Counseling Practices fo r Vocational O ffice Occupations Programs 1n
Tennessee High Schools" (unpublished E.D. thesis, University of
M ississippi, 1972).

17

counselors, o ffic e occupations teachers, and o ffic e occupations
students comprised the populations fo r the study.
Using a questionnaire, B l l le t t surveyed a broad range of
guidance and counseling services; however, only those related to job
placement a c tiv itie s are relevant to the present study.

Teachers

and counselors were asked to check "none," "occasionally," or
"almost always," to Indicate 1n which of the following vocational
guidance practices they participated:
Job placement services fo r graduates
Job placement services fo r dropouts
Placement services fo r part-tim e work
Cooperate with community job placement o ffices
Follow-up of students In schools or colleges
Follow-up o f students with jobs
Follow-up of students who have dropped out
The m ajority of the eighty-four guidance counselors
participated occasionally 1n a ll seven vocational guidance
a c tiv itie s .

The m ajority of the 105 o ffic e occupations teachers

participated occasionally in fiv e o f the seven vocational guidance
a c tiv itie s .

Approximately 62 percent o f the o ffic e occupations

teachers did not respond to "Job placement services fo r dropouts"
and 46.7 percent did not respond to "Follow-up o f students who
have dropped out."
Students were asked 1n this study to indicate those
counseling services they had experienced.

Of the 2,164 o ffic e

occupations students surveyed, 38.8 percent reported that they had
received no help 1n securing part-tim e employment, while 33.2 percent
Indicated they had received some type of assistance in finding p arttime work.

Students were also asked 1f th e ir school had a job

18
placement service.

T h irty -fiv e percent or 757 o f the students

Indicated th e ir school had a job placement service; however, 505
or 66.7 percent of th is number did not know where the job placement
service was located.
Both counselors and teachers were asked who should have the
resp o nsib ility fo r the vocational guidance o f o ffic e occupations
students.

Both respondent groups Indicated that the vocational

guidance of o ffic e occupations students should be the jo in t
responsibility of the guidance counselors and the o ffic e occupations
teachers.
Status o f Career Guidance, Counseling and Placement
The Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 provided
specific categorical funding fo r Intensive occupational guidance,
counseling, and I n it ia l job placement.

This leg is latio n together

with the Career Education Movement of the 1970s and certain socio­
economic factors focused Increased attention on the q u ality and
quantity o f vocational guidance, counseling and placement youth are
receiving 1n the schools.
The Career Education Movement also contributed to the
Increased usage o f the term "career guidance" 1n place of occupa­
tional or vocational guidance.

The current term "career guidance"

1s used to subsume both the educational and vocational aspects of
the career guidance process.
o f career guidance:

Gysbers gives the following d efin itio n

19

. . . assisting a ll individuals in the development o f s e lfknowledge and interpersonal s k ills * in obtaining l i f e
career planning competencies, in identifying and using
placement resources and 1n gaining knowledge and under­
standing o f l i f e roles, settings and events, s p e c ific a lly
those associated with fam ily, education, work, and
leisu re.
Bottoms defines career guidance more simply as:
. . . the process 1n which students are given assistance
in making considered choices that increase th e ir a b ilitie s
to manage and d ire c t th e ir career liv e s . This does not
mean choosing fo r the students or directing th e ir choices;
1t means helping them to acquire the tools and experiences
they need to make choices that w ill Increase th e ir a b ilit y
to plan where they want to go, what they want to do, and
how to accomplish th e ir purposes.17
Im p lic it in both d efinitions is the c e n tra lity of career
planning and placement in the career development of youth.
Criticisms of American Guidance
and Counseling
‘
American guidance in general has been the object o f much
c ritic is m in the past.

That c ritic is m accelerated with the Career

Education Movement, which has drawn attention p a rtic u la rly to the
status of vocational guidance a t the secondary le v e l.

Glnzberg, a

severe c r it ic of American guidance practices commented:

Norman C. Gysbers, "Career Guidance Needs o f Youth and
Adults," 1n To Implement Change In Counseling and Career Guidance:
Report o f the National tiorkshop, April 27-29^ 1975 (Washington,
B.C.: American Personnel and Guidance Association, American
Vocational Association, and National Advisory Council on Vocational
Education, April 1075), p. 30.
^Gene Bottoms, "The Mission of Career Guidance: D efin i­
tion and Leadership," American Vocational Journal (March 1975),
p. 50.

20
Observations, Impressions, and systematic investigations
o f guidance programs generally do not confirm claims that
guidance plays a decisive role 1n the career plans and
outcomes of Its c lie n ts . School counselors appear to
spend the bulk o f th e ir time In approving courses of
study, 1n assisting with college applications, 1n dealing
with rule Infractio ns, and 1n tes t adm inistration.18
Glnzberg's criticism s are supported by several studies which
revealed the need fo r improvement 1n career guidance.
19
In 1966, Campbell
conducted a national survey of voca­
tional guidance 1n secondary education.

A to tal o f 6,484 question­

naires were returned from school counselors, p rincipals, teachers,
students, and parents from 353 schools 1n 48 states.

Campbell

found that counselors spent more time counseling students with
problems related to attending college than fo r any other kind of
student problem.

Counselors reported that educational guidance was

the service most frequently sought.

The largest block o f counselor

time was devoted to Individual counseling with students, and the
remaining time devoted to a large range of guidance a c tiv itie s .
20
Kaufman, et a l . ,
1n 1967, Investigated the school's role
In preparing youth fo r employment.

Questionnaires and Interviews

were used to survey 8,400 high school graduates o f vocational,

is

E11 Glnzberg, Career Guidance: Who Needs I t , Who Provides
I t , Who Can Improve I t (New Vork: McGraw-Hill Book Co., l97l}»
T"
p. 2 6 7 . -----------IQ
Robert E. Campbell, Vocational Guidance In Secondary
Education: Results of a National Survey (Columbus, Ohio: TKe
Center fo r Vocational and Technical Education, 1968).
20

Jacob Kaufman, e t a l . , The Role o f the Secondary Schools
In the Preparation of Youth fo r Employment flJnlverslty Park,
Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University, 1967).

21
academic, and general programs of a sample o f schools 1n Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Major weaknesses

Id e n tifie d as a result of the study were poor guidance, placement,
and follow-up a c tiv itie s .

Counselors In high schools neglected the

employment-bound youth and directed most of th e ir guidance
a c tiv itie s toward the counseling o f college-bound youth.
Sim ilar results were found 1n a la te r study by Kaufman and
Lewis

21

In which 583 Interviews were conducted o f high school

graduates from four d iffe re n t years 1n three Pennsylvania c itie s .
Although the f i r s t major decision 1n the vocational development of
students 1s generally a choice of high school curriculum, over oneh a lf o f the vocational graduates Interviewed had never discussed
th e ir course choices with a counselor.

I t was found that three-

fourths o f the graduates had never discussed th e ir job plans with a
counselor.

In each o f the three school systems studied, counselors

generally lacked preparation necessary fo r vocational counseling
and were prim arily oriented toward the college bound.
In 1972, the United States O ffice o f Education commissioned
a review of research concerned with the realignment o f practical
career guidance and counseling fo r non-college bound youth since
the Vocational Education Amendments of 1968.

Ganschow, et a l . ,

22

21

Jacob Kaufman and Morgan V. Lewis, The Potential of
Vocational Education: Observations and Conclusions (University
Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State U niversity, The
In s titu te fo r Research on Human Resources, May 1968).

oo

L. H. Ganschow, e t a l . , Practical Career Guidance,
Counseling and Placement fo r the Non-Col lege Bound Student: A
Hevlew o f the L iteratu re (Palo A lio , C alifo rn ia: American In s tltu te
fo r Research, 19/3).

22
reviewed more than 350 s ig n ifica n t documents consisting mainly o f
expert opinion.

They found that very few studies existed which

dealt with the extent to which vocational guidance and counseling
functions had been realigned to meet the needs o f non-college bound
youth.

A fte r an extensive review of the lite ra tu r e , Ganschow, e t aT.

concluded:
1.

Vocational counseling or provision o f practical
career guidance fo r non-college bound students
suffers 1n favor o f precollege counseling 1n
p a rtic u la r and other counselor functions 1n general.

2.

The functions o f guidance and counseling personnel
working with non-college bound students have not
~3
been realigned to provide practical career guidance.
A Wisconsin research project

24

reported on placement

services available 1n select Wisconsin Communities.

The survey

covered services availab le, those being u tiliz e d and needed as
reported by users and providers of placement services.

Among the

respondents were current and former high school students.

This

study found that over 90 percent o f the current high school seniors
planned on looking fo r employment following high school.

Yet, while

55 percent Indicated they received help from counselors In exploring
and evaluating educational goals, only 38 percent Indicated that they
had received such help with employment goals.

Guidance services

received by the m ajority o f both current and former high school
23Ib1d., pp, 7-2, 7-3.
24

Survey and Analysis of Career Placement A c tiv itie s : Volume
I I of a Research Project to Develop a Coordinated Comprehensive1
Placement System (Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin,
Center fo r Studies in Vocational and Technical Education, May 1975).

23
seniors were:

aptitude tests, achievement te s ts , help with talking

to parents about plans, w ritten materials about occupations or
train ing programs, and help in exploring fu rther educational goals.
Current high school seniors gave the following guidance
services as most important in occupational planning and placement.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Help with talking to parents about job and school plans.
Training fo r a specific occupation,
Help with exploring and evaluating further educational
goals.
Training fo r interviewing and applying fo r a job.
Help with exploring and evaluating employment goals.
Assistance 1n locating a specific job.
Information about job openings.
Training 1n how to get along on the job.
Job tryouts or work experiences.25
Among the major providers of placement services surveyed

were high school guidance counselors.
1n e a rlie r studies.

Findings were sim ilar to those

High school counselors were directing most of

th e ir time and e ffo rt toward college-bound students.

Fourteen of

the counselors did not answer questions related to job placement
commenting that they did not p artic ip ate 1n such a c tiv itie s .
The National Advisory Council on Vocational Education 1n
Its Sixth Report, Counseling and Guidance:

A Call fo r Change,

described the status of counseling 1n practice as "shaky and shabby."
The Council's concerns summarized many of the findings 1n the
previously mentioned studies.
1.

Counselors and counseling are being subjected to
critic is m by other educators, parents, students, and
industry, and there 1s v a lid ity 1n this c ritic is m .

25Ib1d., p. 35.

24
2.

Most counselors know very l i t t l e about the world outside
of education.

3.

Counselors are much more competent 1n guiding persons
toward college attendance than towards vocational
education.

4.

Job placement and follow-up services are not now being
routinely provided as an Important part o f counseling
and guidance programs.

5.

Counseling and guidance services are being rejected by
the hard core disadvantaged as Irre lev an t and In e ffec tiv e.

6.

Numerous school boards have reassigned counselors to
fu ll-tim e teaching duties as "economy" measures.

7.

In almost no setting 1s the counselor—counselee ra tio
low enough to ju s t ify s t r ic t one-to-one counseling,
but counselors s t i l l persist In th e ir attempts to use
this technique, rather than group counseling approaches,
as th e ir primary method of helping people solve th e ir
problems.

8.

Some national authorities have reconmended elim ination
of elementary school counselors.

9.

There 1s a need fo r the counselor—counsel ee ra tio to
be Improved 1n the poverty pockets o f the United States.
The National Advisory Council made several recommendations

which were considered urgent reforms needed to Improve the quality
and quantity o f counseling and guidance services.

These included

the following among others:
Job placement and follow-up services be considered major
parts of counseling and guidance programs.
Responsible decision-makers embark on an immediate major
campaign designed to upgrade the vocational knowledge and
career guidance s k ills of currently employed counselors.
2fi

Counseling and Guidance: A Call fo r Change. Sixth
Report of the National Advisory Council on Vocational Education
(Washington, D.C.: National Advisory Council on Vocational Educa­
tio n , June 1972), pp. 3-4.

25
Career development programs be considered a major component
In Career Education, both 1n leg is latio n and 1n operating
systems.
Inmedlate e ffo rts be made to lower the counselor-pupil ra tio
In elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educational
In s titu tio n s to a point where a ll who need counseling and
guidance services w i l l , 1n fa c t, receive them, while
simultaneously encouraging more guidance 1n groups.
Concerted e ffo rts , including computerl2ed guidance systems,
be made to get more accurate, tim ely data to counselors
regarding vocational and technical train ing and job
opportunities.
Decision-makers 1n education make extensive provldlon for
the training and employment o f a wide va rie ty o f paraprofessional personnel to work 1n guidance under the super­
vision o f professionally q ualified counselors.
Individuals with rich backgrounds o f experience 1n business,
Industry, and labor, but with no teaching experience, be
Infused Into the counseling system.
Increased e ffo rts be made to Improve sound counseling and
guidance services to members of m inority populations and
disadvantaged persons.27
Career Planning and Placement
Needs of Vouth
The unemployment o f youth was o f major concern to Congress
1n passing the 1968 Vocational Educational Amendments.

The follow ­

ing figures reveal the magnitude of the problem o f youth unemployment.
In the f i r s t quarter o f 1972, unemployment among teenagers
was 17.8 percent—the highest figure recorded 1n the post-World
War I I years.

28

In the year ending October 1974, some 800,000

27Ib1d., pp. 6-7.
Manpower Report o f the President: A Report on Manpower
Requirements, Resources, U tiliz a tio n , and Training (Washington, D.C.:
U.S. Department o f Labor, March 1973), p. 16.

26
youth 1n the 16 to 24 year age group l e f t school without completing
high school* continuing the upward trend 1n the number of dropouts
29
per year since the la te 1960s.
In 1975, four out o f fiv e new
unemployed entrants 1n the labor force were youths between 16 and 19.
The labor force rate fo r th is group, 54.8 percent 1n the f i r s t
quarter of 1975, was over ten percentage points higher than a decade

These figures Imply that many youth find I t d if f ic u lt to make
the transitio n from school to work.

Gysbers and Moore feel th e ir

d if fic u lty 1s related to the present complexity o f the work world
as compared to what 1t was a t the turn o f the century.
The work world 1n p artic u lar has undergone dramatic changes
both stru c tu rally and occupationally. Industrial and
business structures have become highly complex and occupa­
tional specialization 1s Increasing. As a re s u lt, the work
world frequently 1s In v is ib le and unknown, p a rtic u la rly to
youth. Their knowledge and understanding o f the Industrial
and occupational world and th e ir relationship to 1t 1s
often diffuse and distorted. Suffering 1n varying degrees
from occupational Illit e r a c y , many youth find 1t d if f ic u lt
to visualize a career l i f e . 31
Several studies revealed the mechanisms ty p ic a lly used by
youth to find employment, as well as th e ir need fo r help In career
29

Anne M. Young, Students, Graduates, and Dropouts 1n the
Labor Market, October 1974 (Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Labor
S ta tis tic s , U.S. Department o f Labor, August 1975), p. 6.
30

Paul 0. FIa1m and Curtis G ilro y, Job Loss and Other
Factors Behind the Recent Increase in Unemployment. Report No. 446
(Washington, D.C.: Bureau o f Labor S ta tis tic s , U.S. Department
o f Labor, June 1975), p. 6.
31

Norman Gysbers and Earl J. Moore, Career Guidance,
Counseling, and Placement: Elements o f an Illu s tr a tiv e Program
Guide (Columbia: Missouri University, February 1974), p. 2(8.

27
planning.

Kaufman, et a l . , found In th e ir study o f 8,400 high school

graduates that at least one-half found jobs through d irect application
and other self-1n1t1ated methods.

The researchers comment:

The evidence Is ample from th is study and from many others
that the labor market operates 1n an In e ffic ie n t manner.
Informal sources are used fa r more frequently than the
In s titu tio n s organized to place workers. Young people
frequently seem to take anything that comes along rather
than seeking out jobs where they can find outlets for
th e ir Interests and a b i li t i e s . 32
Kaufman, et a l . , recommended th at the high school assume the
resp o nsib ility fo r establishing a post-high school plan for each
departing

student and ac tive ly assist students who desire employ­

ment upon leaving high school.
A la te r study by Kaufman and Lewis

33

found sim ilar results

1n follow-up studies o f high school graduates.

Only one-fourth o f

the graduates 1n this la te r study had received assistance from
th e ir schools 1n obtaining th e ir f i r s t job.

Most found employment

through d irec t application and personal o f fam ily friends.

Kaufman

and Lewis comment that lack of knowledge o f job opportunities Is a
major Impediment to market efficie n c y and effectiveness.
. . . the bridge between train ing and employment 1s an
Informal and unstructured one 1n which the In d ivid u al's
Immediate environment 1s a major factor 1n determining
where he w ill seek employment. A potential job market
whose boundaries are determined by one's own knowledge of
opportunities, plus the awareness o f family and friends,
Is fa r from being optimally e ffic ie n t 1n the sense of
matching a b ilitie s and Interests with available jobs. 34
32
33

Kaufman, e t a l . , op. c 1 t., p. 13-6.
Kaufman and Lewis, op. c l t .

34Ib1d., p. 92.

28
When L it t l e

35

reviewed the results of several studies on the

placement and follow-up o f vocational education students, he found
graduates most frequently used friends and relatives and other s e lfin itia te d means 1n finding employment.

Few respondents 1n these

studies found th e ir schools, counselors, or teachers helpful 1n
finding employment.
The Wisconsin Research Project
o f e a rlie r studies.

36

corroborates the findings

The researchers found former high school

students re lie d prim arily on th e ir personal contacts to find employ­
ment.

School personnel appeared to rarely be the sources of produc­

tiv e job leads.

Findings 1n this study point c le a rly to the needs

of youth for help 1n career planning and job placement.

The follow ­

ing d iffic u ltie s 1n finding employment were anticipated by the
Indicated percentages o f current high school seniors.
1.

The employer w ill want someone experienced ( 66%).

2.

There w ill be no openings 1n the jobs I am trained
fo r (57%).

3. I might not be q ualified fo r the job (49%).
4.

The job won't pay enough (49%).

5.

I won't know what types o f jobs I'd

lik e to do (46%).

6. I won't know where to look fo r work (43%).

J. K. L it t l e , The Placement and Follow-Up o f Vocational
Education Students--A Review and Synthesis of the Research
(Columbus: ERIC Clearinghouse on vocational and technical Education,
Ohio State U niversity, 1970).

36 Survey

and Analysis o f Career Placement A c tiv itie s .

29
7.

I won't know what types of jobs I can do (41%).

8.

I might be too young fo r the job (38%).

37

The problems experienced by former high school graduates 1n finding
employment closely p arallels those anticipated by current high
school seniors.
1. I d id n 't

know what types o f jobs I'd lik e to do (65%).

2. I d id n 't

know what types o f jobs I could do(51%).

3.

Employer wanted someone experienced (50%).

4.

I d id n 't know where to look fo r work (44%).

5. The job d id n 't pay enough (44%).
6. I wasn't

q ualified fo r the job (31%).38

A nationwide study by Predlger, e t a l . ,

39

o f the American

College Testing Program, surveyed approximately 32,000 eighth, ninth,
and eleventh grade students 1n 200 schools about various aspects of
th e ir career development needs.

This study found that making career

plans was perceived as the major area of need Indicated by eleventh
graders.

Also, students lacked knowledge about the world of work

and the career planning process.

Predlger, et a l . , concluded:

. . . we find student-expressed need fo r help with career
planning 1n sharp contrast to the amount o f help students
feel they have received. This discrepancy 1s reflected 1n
what students have (and more often haven't) done to prepare
fo r the d if f ic u lt career decisions they face. Lack of
knowledge about the world o f work and the career planning
37Ib 1d ., p. 33.
38Ib id ., p. 43.
39

D. J. Predlger, J. D. Roth, and R. J. Noeth, Nationwide
Study of Student Career Development: Summary o f Results tlowa
C1ty: American College Testing Program, 1973).

30
process also te s tifie s to th e ir need fo r help. Considered
together, we believe these three vantage points fo r viewing
student career development provides a consistent and dismal
p ic tu re .40
Research and Literatu re on Placement
Prior to the Career Education Movement, very l i t t l e l i t e r a ­
ture could be found on placement of secondary vocational students.
L it t le concluded a fte r his review of the lite ra tu re on placement
and follow-up of vocational education students that:
The search fo r studies dealing s p e c ific a lly with placement
a c tiv itie s was p ra c tic a lly fru itle s s . Placement Is
ty p ic a lly viewed as a separate a c tiv ity from the educational
program. Few secondary schools conceive job placement as
a b u ilt-in function.41
In 1974, Wenzl

42

looked at the process and performance of

job placement from an h istorical point o f view.

An in-depth review

of the lite ra tu re uncovered th at no exclusive and d e fin itiv e work
had been done on the subject; however, the current writings in the
1970s evidenced a growing Interest 1n, and demand fo r b etter job
placement performance.
Ganschow, et a l . , 43 found in th e ir review, prim arily of
lite ra tu re since 1968, that the needs o f youth fo r placement were
well documented 1n the lite ra tu r e ; however, l i t t l e data existed on
40Ib 1d ., p. 46.
41

L it t l e , op. c l t . , p. 36.

42Donald E. Wenzl, "The History of Job Placement Within a
Social and Cultural Context" (unpublished Ph.D. d issertatio n.
University of Utah, 1974).
MA

Ganschow, e t a l . , op. c i t . , p. 3.

31
the a v a ila b ility of placement services in schools or the quality of
placement services offered.
Campbell and others comment on the lack of lite ra tu re fo r
use 1n developing placement programs.
While placement 1s a concept frequently alluded to and
discussed as a necessary emphasis within a comprehensive
program, few generators o f career guidance resources have
responded to the development o f specific resources and
programs. This 1s obviously an Important gap, especially
when one considers that Increasing emphasis 1s being placed
on providing the same placement services to those entering
the world o f work as Is available to those entering higher
education. 44
In 1975, Boss, et a l . , 45 reported on th e ir search and review
of job placement lite ra tu r e .

They found very few placement programs

on which to model components of placement services and functions.

A

request fo r studies from state boards o f education nationwide on
Innovative or outstanding placement programs fa ile d to uncover any
extensive Innovation or outstanding features.

Of the twenty-nine

states that responded to the request, only eighteen reported place­
ment programs.

Six reported no placement programs; fiv e reported

being unaware o f placement programs.

The researchers summarized:

From the materials and manuals received, and from searching
publications and presentations, the most pervasive feature
of occupational placement became obvious—the e ffe c t of
local conditions and decisions on programs. Innovation 1n
44

Robert Campbell, et a l . , Career Guidance: A Handbook of
Methods (Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. M e rrill Publishing Co., 1973),
p. 202.
45
Review and Synthesis o f Job Placement Literatu re:
Volume I of a kesearch Project to Develop a Coordinated Comprehensive
Placement System (Madison: University of Wisconsin, Center fo r
Studies In vocational and Technical Education, March 1975).

32
placement services has generally been a change of local
adaptations to the older existing models. Smaller schools
make cuts 1n s ta ff positions, up-to-date schools use
computers, and local p o litic s and educational philosophies
determine the ''location" o f job placement services—
within the guidance and counseling programs or as an
autonomous e n tity .46
Impact o f Career Education on Career Guidance
Counseling and Placement
Career Education has been the catalyst needed to bring about
attempts to Improve, redefine and expand career guidance, counseling
and placement in recent years.
Career education came prominently Into view 1n 1971, when
U.S. Commissioner of Education, Sidney P. Marland, J r . , speaking at
the 1971 convention o f the National Association o f Secondary School
Principals In Houston, discussed major changes needed 1n secondary
education.

Marland suggested that the term "vocational education"

be dropped 1n favor of "career education."
Career education as defined by Goldhammer and Taylor 1s
designed to prepare Individuals fo r th e ir l i f e roles:
home, community, avocatlonal, relig io u s, and aesthetic.

economic,
Career

education recognizes the central role careers play in our liv e s .
I t 1s
. . . a systematic attempt to Increase the career options
available to Individuals and to f a c ilit a t e more rational
and valid career planning and preparation. Through a
wide range o f school and comnunlty based resources, young
people's career horizons should be broadened. Their s e lfawareness should be enhanced. Their framework fo r

46Ib id ., p. 81.

33
accomplishing these goals are the phases 1n the career
education program: career awareness, career exploration,
career preparation;47
The Impact of the Career Education Movement can be seen 1n
the effo rts o f various states to reorganize and redefine th e ir
guidance services p a rtic u la rly with respect to job placement.
One of the effects o f the Career Education movement has
been to underscore the need fo r renewed attention to
career guidance with p artic u lar attention to the placement
component of such guidance e ffo rts . Increasingly, many
schools have begun to accept the responsibility fo r the
post*schoo1 placements o f th e ir students. In turn,
educators, administrators, and counselors have found
that to answer such placement demands, th e ir placement
effo rts must Involve a coordination o f the e ffo rts o f
fam ily, school, and government programs and an Increase
1n the comprehensiveness o f the career guidance services
available to Include a ll aspects of guidance as well as
the needs of a ll students.48
Career guidance, counseling and placement are natural
components in the career education concept.

Worthington states

that "the success o f career education w ill depend on the Input of
the guidance and counseling component to make 1t possible for
students to choose knowledgeably from among a ll possible careers
49
open to them."

Keith Goldhammer and Robert Taylor, Career EducationPerspective and Promise (Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. M e rrill
Publishing Co., 1972), p. 6.
48

Data Base Establishment and Model Development fo r a
Coordinated Comprehensive Placement System: Final Report (Madison:
University o f Wisconsin, Center fo r Studies in Vocational and
Technical Education, November 1975), p. 5.
49

R. Worthington, "Guidance and the Promises and Demands
o f Career Education," American Vocational Journal (March 1974),
p. 62.

34
Bottoms comments on the relationship o f career guidance and
vocational education 1n career education:
A ll educational experiences that lead to mastery of career
development goals and objectives add up to career educa­
tio n . Career guidance and vocational education are
essential parts o f the whole . . . . Unless career
guidance Is made the nerve system o f career education,
many students may f a ll to see the purpose of th e ir
education. Without career guidance, career education
runs the ris k o f becoming an imposed set o f externally
applied goals and methods.50
The placement component 1s a c r itic a l element 1n the career
education concept because career education has Implied that schools
be held accountable fo r subsequent placement o f students.

In state­

ments before the U.S. House o f Representatives Subcommittee Hearings
51
on Career Education,
the point was stressed that career education
w ill be a farce I f I t succeeds In helping youth want to work, but
neglects to help them find work upon leaving school.

This Implied

responsibility has provided the thrust fo r Implementation of
school-based placement services at the secondary le v e l.

The

rationale offered 1s that
Since an Interweaving of the educational realm and the
occupational realm 1s Inherent to the success o f a career
education program, 1t becomes obvious that a placement
service 1s necessary for the movement of students and
workers between these realms . . . 1n the career education
model, the school's purpose 1s the career development of
youth. The subsequent career behavior o f students

50

Bottoms, op. c 1 t., p. 51.

51U .S., Congress, House, Committee on Education and Labor,
Career Education, Hearings, before the subcommittee on Elementary,
Secondary, and Vocational Education of the Committee on Education
and Labor, House o f Representatives, 94th Cong., 1st sess., 1975,
p. 92.

35
leaving these schools w i l l , therefore, be a measure of
the school's effectiveness 1n meeting this o bjective. 52
Wasll

53

agrees and sees job placement as the "fusing

element" within the career development structure 1n order fo r career
development to be e ffe c tiv e .

In career education, career develop*

ment 1s the component that blends p rio r educational, guidance, and
career awareness a c tiv itie s Into a meaningful picture fo r the
student.
Increase 1n Guidance Support Personnel
*

The Career Educational movement forced a red efin itio n of
the roles of teachers and counselors 1n the career guidance and
placement o f youth, and brought about an Increase In the use of
guidance support personnel.

These new guidance sp ecialists have

not replaced counselors, but Instead supplement the work o f the
counselor a t certain stages o f the student's education.

Bottoms

comments:
These new specialists have not replaced counselors; they
have arrived on the scene to answer needs that require
specialized and concentrated attention during a given
period of time. Among them are the jun ior high explora­
tion teacher, the job placement coordinator, group
guidance teacher, outreach coordinator, and the student
assessment special 1st.54

52

Review and Synthesis o f Job Placement L ite ra tu re , p. 63.

53

Raymond A. Wasll, "Job Placement—Keystone o f Career
Development," American Vocational Journal (december 1974), p. 32.
54

Bottoms, op. c i t . , p. 52.

36

A survey of state directors of vocational education revealed more
than twenty t i t le s of individuals considered as career sp ecialists.

55

Although many new guidance personnel now exist at the
secondary le v e l, Campbell

56

sees very l i t t l e evidence that they

have been organized to function e ffe c tiv e ly .

He believes that the

roles of Individuals other than guidance counselors in career
guidance, planning and decision-making and how to Include them 1n
"career guidance equations" have been treated only minimally in the
lite ra tu r e .

Bottoms, D rie r, and Pritchard agree:

Existing professional guidance personnel (counselor, place­
ment coordinator, exploratory teachers, educational and
occupational information sp ecialists, e tc .) and paraprofessional guidance personnel have not been organized
Into a coordinated team to address the career development
needs of students . . . . Few comprehensive career
guidance programs in which the functions, a c tiv itie s and
respo nsib ilities have been d iffe ren tiate d and assigned to
professional and paraprofessional guidance workers have
been put Into operation.57
In a major address presented at a national workshop to
Implement change in counseling and career guidance, Bottoms, D rier
and Pritchard recommended that decision-makers in education make
provision fo r a d iffe ren tiate d guidance s ta ff to Include a variety
of professional and paraprofessional guidance workers both within
55Ib 1d.
ce
Campbell, Career Guidance, p. 204,
57

Gene Bottoms, Harry D rie r, and Dave Pritchard, "Recommenda
tlons fo r Meeting the Career Development Needs o f All Individuals,"
in To Implement Change in Counseling and Career Guidance: Report of
the National workshop, April 27-29, 1975 (Washington, D.C.:
American Personnel and Guidance Association, American Vocational
Association, National Advisory Council on Vocational Education,
April 1975), p. 14.

37
and outside the curriculum.

Their recommendation was based on the

following assumptions:
1.

To meet career development needs of students, a variety
of professional and paraprofessional guidance workers
w ill be needed both within and outside the curriculum.

2.

The current ra tio o f student to guidance worker has
proved Inadequate to develop and coordinate the
curriculum, community, Individual experiences needed
by students at each educational level to master
appropriate career development objectives.

3.

In almost no setting 1s the counselor—counsel ee ra tio
low enough to ju s tify one-to-one counseling as a
primary function, but counselors s t i l l persist 1n
th e ir attempts to use this technique, rather than
other counseling approaches, as th e ir primary method
of helping people solve th e ir problems.58

Role of Teachers
The career Education Movement has proclaimed that career
guidance 1s and must be the responsibility and concern of the
en tire school s ta ff.

Attempts to Implement the career education

concept have caused considerable Interest 1n various roles to be
assumed by vocational and academic teachers.

Teacher particip atio n

in the guidance process 1s based on the assumption th at students
do not see the relationship between education and the world of
work.

Bottoms believes:

The classroom teacher, whether academic or vocationali can
no more be divorced from the career guidance team than can
the counselor, fo r 1n many ways, teachers are equally
Important to the guidance e ffo rt. Teachers, at whatever
le v e l, hold a potential key to career development o f
students. They can help students select learning

58Ib1d., pp. 14-15.

38
a c tiv itie s that enable them to discover the career
implications of s k ills and subject f i e l d s . 59
In a policy paper o f the U.S. O ffice of Education* the
following kinds o f tasks were lis te d as essential fo r i n i t i a l Imple­
mentation o f a comprehensive career education e ffo rt:
A ll classroom teachers w ill:
1.

Devise and/or locate methods and materials designed to
help pupils understand and appreciate the career Implica­
tions of the subject matter being taught.

2.

U tiliz e career oriented methods and materials 1n the
Instructional program, where appropriate, as one means
of educational motivation.

3.

Help pupils acquire and u t iliz e good work habits.

4.

Help pupils develop, c la r if y , and assim ilate personally
meaningful sets o f work values.

5.

Integrate, to the fu lle s t extent possible, the
programmatic assumptions o f career education into
th e ir Instructional a c tiv itie s and teacher-pupll
relationships.

Some teachers, 1n addition, w ill be charged with:
1.

Providing students with specific vocational competencies
at a level that w ill enable them to gain entry Into the
occupational society.

2.

Helping students acquire job-seeking and job-getting
s k ills .

3.

P articipating In the job placement process.

4.

Helping students acquire decision-making s k ills . 60
The National Vocational Guidance Association and the

American Vocational Association in a jo in t position paper, "Career
59

Bottoms, op. c 1 t ., p. 51.

60Career Education, Hearings, pp. 15-16.

39
Development and Career Guidance," outline the following contributions
academic teachers and vocational educators can make to the career
guidance process:
Vocational Educators
1.

Provide r e a lis tic educational and occupational informa­
tion to students and s ta ff based on knowledge of
occupational fie ld s and continuous contact with workers
and work settings.

2.

Id e n tify and re c ru it resource persons 1n the employment
coirmunlty to assist In the school program.

3.

Provide exploratory experiences 1n vocational class­
rooms, labs, and shops for students not enrolled 1n
occupational preparation programs and assist those
teachers who wish to Incorporate "hands on" types of
a c tiv itie s In th e ir courses.

4.

Id e n tify basic and academic s k ills and knowledge
needed to succeed 1n the occupations o f th e ir fie ld
and communicate this Information to academic teachers
and guidance sp ecialists.

5.

Assist academic teachers and guidance specialists 1n
designing appropriate occupational exploration experi­
ences.

6.

Provide students with Information about vocational
offerings and guidance specialists with Information
about the kinds of careers fo r which students are
prepared.

7.

Assist students enrolled 1n vocational programs to
analyze and In te rp re t th e ir learning experiences fo r
b etter understanding of s e lf 1n relatio n to occupations
and the world of work.

8.

Plan and provide vocational Instruction which prepares
students to enter, adjust, progress and change jobs
1n an occupational f ie ld .

9.

Assist students 1n Identifying a wide range o f occupa­
tions fo r which th e ir vocational instruction 1s
applicable.

10.

Encourage employers to assist 1n expanding student
awareness o f career opportunities.

40
11.

Arrange observation a c tiv itie s or part-tim e employ­
ment fo r student and school s ta ff to help them
learn more about occupations and work settings.

12.

Participate 1n the planning and Implementation o f a
comprehensive career education program.

Academic teachers
1.

Provide fo r easy tra n s itio n o f students from home
to school, from one school environment to another,
and from school to fu rther education or employment.

2.

Provide students with curriculum and related learning
experiences to Insure the development o f basic con­
cepts of work and the Importance of those who perfonn
work.

3.

Provide group guidance experiences, with appropriate
aid from guidance specialists and vocational educators,
to regularly demonstrate the relationship between
learning and job requirements.

4.

Help parents understand and encourage the career
development process as I t relates to th e ir children.

5.

Provide opportunities w ithin the curriculum fo r
students to have decision-making experiences related
to educational and vocational planning

6.

Assist students 1n synthesizing accumulated career
development experiences to prepare them fo r educa­
tional transitio ns.

7.

Provide career exploratory experiences to help
students gain an understanding o f worker character­
is tic s and work requirements.

8.

Provide experiences to help students Increase th e ir
understanding o f th e ir own c a p a b ilitie s , Interests
and possible lim ita tio n s .

9.

Provide fo r career preparation experiences th at w ill
enable the Individual to acquire s k ills necessary to
enter and remain 1n the world of work at a level
appropriate to his ca p ab ilitie s and expectations.

10.

Provide, as an extension o f the 1n-school learning
experience, opportunities fo r the Individual to

41
experience work first-hand 1n a non-threatening
environment.60
Bottoms* D rier and Pritchard feel that teachers must acquire
additional knowledge 1f they are to s ig n ific a n tly a ffe c t career
guidance goals.
. . . teachers must acquire additional knowledge regarding
(a) career development theory; (b) values, a b ilit ie s , and
Interests, th e ir o rigin and place 1n the Individu al's
career development; (c) decision-making and planning
processes as related to career development; jd) the d if fe r ­
ence between guidance and Instruction; and, (3) guidance
processes and Instructional strategies that f a c ilit a t e
individual career development.61
The assumption 1s th at the teacher must be a member o f the guidance
team, and guidance an Integral part of the school curriculum 1f
students are to master career development tasks.
School-Based Placement Services
There 1s l i t t l e doubt that the Career Education Movement
provided the thrust needed to draw attention to the needs o f youth
fo r assistance 1n Implementing th e ir career goals, and has been
d ire c tly responsible fo r attempts by various states to develop guide
lin es and Implement a school-based placement service.

Probably the

greatest Impact o f career education has been f e l t 1n the placement
area.

"Career Development and Career Guidance," A jo in t Position
Paper o f the National Vocational Guidance Association and the
American Vocational Association, 1n A Coordinated and Comprehensive
School-Based Career Placement Model: Volume l i l o f a kesearch
Project to Develop a Coordinated Comprehensive Placement System
(Madison: University o f Wisconsin, Center fo r Studies 1n Vocational
and Technical Education, November 1975), pp. 33-35.
^Bottoms, D rie r, and Pritchard, op. c i t . , p. 23.

.

42
Wasll believes school'based placement 1s a service that has
long been needed, but slow 1n coming.

He comments:

Rapidly emerging 1n education today 1s an area that serves
as a common denominator fo r the fraction alized secondary
educational system . . . . We have found a common demon*
Inator. That common Interest area within the educational
structure, where we may a ll be comfortable working together
regardless of our backgrounds or specific Interest areas,
1n an area that w ill lend c r e d ib ility to e d u c a tio n . 62
The key elements 1n a school-based placement service
according to Wasll are:
Comprehensive placement services would normally u tiliz e
four key elements; and these elements would be delivered
within a coordinated systematic system. Basically, the
elements are pre-employment preparation, a central data
system, placement a c tiv itie s , follow-up and follow-through
a c tiv itie s . . . .63
I t 1s stressed throughout the lite ra tu re that placement
services should be comprehensive.

The service must do more than

concentrate on a re fe rra l system alone; 1t must promote as much
Independence as possible 1n career planning and placement a c tiv itie s .
Since the student w ill encounter situations throughout
l i f e which suggest the need fo r changing career pathways,
the student needs to have maximum Independence 1n place­
ment securing s k ills . For a variety of reasons, Including
school policy, the student may be unable to return to the
school fo r placement assistance. Herein perhaps lie s the
greatest contribution a placement program can make.64
There 1s general consensus 1n the lite ra tu re that placement
services should not only be comprehensive, but also cooperative 1n
62

Raymond A. Wasll, “Placement Services: The Common
Denominator fo r Educational Fragmentation," American Vocational
Journal (February 1976), p. 52.
63Ib 1d.
^Review and Synthesis o f Job Placement L ite ra tu re , p. 57.

43
nature.

Whatever the direction o f placement services 1n the school*

m ultiple contacts with employers should be avoided.

This requires

an organized, structured* and centralized placement e ffo rt through­
out a d is tr ic t* region, and/or State.
In the concept o f career education, placement services 1s
Intended not fo r a specific group o f students* vocational or nonvocatlonal, but fo r a ll students exitin g the school.
In essence the concept o f career education 1s based on
contemporary theories o f career development. I t recog­
nizes that career development Is a continuous H fe -lo n g
process 1n which educational and vocational decisions
In teract In the career process. Decisions to embark on
continued education are not accepted per se* but
challenged fo r th e ir occupational ram ifications.
S im ilarly , occupational experiences are not divorced
from the educational system, but rather Integral to Its
purpose.65
Wasll agrees:
. . . the national Interpretation 1s not services directed
to a specific group o f young people exiting school, but
to a ll young people who are leaving school. All seem to
have common needs 1n terms of Information related to
employment, job expectations, a v a ila b ility o f employment
related to th e ir s k ill tra in in g . 66
With career education providing the ra tio n a le , many states
undertook studies and developmental research projects to provide a
basis fo r developing guidelines fo r establishing and Implementing
school-based placement services.
le g is la tio n .

Several states Introduced relevant

For example, Florida 1n 1973 was the f i r s t state to

pass le g is la tio n requiring a ll secondary and a ll two-year
fi5

Review and Synthesis of Job Placement L ite ra tu re , p. 57.

66Wasil, "Placement Services," p. 52.

44

postsecondary schools
students.

to provide job placement services to a ll

Virginia passed sim ilar job placement le g is la tio n jn 1975.

Michigan has mandated placement services under Its career education
le g is la tio n and has Introduced a b ill 1n the Michigan leg islatu re
which would cover planning, coordination and funding of placement.
Development o f placement materials 1n recent years has
escalated a t both national and local levels.

In 1974, the U.S.

O ffice o f Education awarded a grant to the National Association
*

fo r Industry-Educatlon Cooperation (NAIEC) to develop a training
manual to provide guidelines fo r the establishment o f school-based
job placement services.

The manual was developed to be used by

school systems to tra in local s ta ff who would operate placement
programs.

Also several national and regional conferences have been

held to provide participants with information and train ing to enable
them to go back and Improve or Implement th e ir placement services.
In summary, the Career Education Movement has been prim arily
responsible fo r placement services at the secondary level becoming a
v ita l area of concern at state and national levels.
The Michigan Scene
In 1974, the Michigan Department of Education conducted a
survey o f Its schools.

The findings helped form the basis o f th e ir

report to the Michigan le g is latu re on the extent to which local
school d is tric ts were providing a comprehensive occupational program
to prepare students fo r employment, and making available to each
student career development information.

The survey revealed that

45
placement was the career development component receiving the least
atten tio n .

D is tric ts tended to provide placement services fo r

fu rth er education 1f placement was provided a t a l l .

The report to

the le g is latu re summarized:
A major deficiency reported concerns placement, a career
development a c tiv ity v ita l to educational accountability
to students. The report Indicates that placement
a c tiv itie s serve too few students 1n too few agencies and
tend to be Inadequate In serving both students who are
gy
prepared fo r jobs and those prepared fo r fu rther education.
The Michigan's 1975 Secondary Vocational Education Follow-Up
CO

Survey

revealed that students prepared fo r jobs received l i t t l e

placement help from the school.

Unemployed graduates seeking work

were asked to Indicate the sources they contacted fo r help 1n fin d ­
ing a job.

Over 66 percent indicated re la tiv e or friend; 33.3 per­

cent Indicated public employment agency; 15.9 percent Indicated
teacher or co-op coordinator; and 13.4 percent Indicated school
placement o ffic e .

However, the school was the source most f r e ­

quently sought for assistance 1n continuing education placement by
almost h alf of the vocational graduates who were continuing th e ir
education.
Michigan Model for Career Education
One piece o f sig n ifica n t Michigan le g is la tio n 1s the Career
Education Act o f 1974 which formalized the statewide planning
67

Report o f the Michigan Department o f Education to the State
o f Michigan 77th Legislature, Regular Session of 1974. (Mimeographed.)
68

Michigan's 1975 Secondary Vocational Education Follow-Up
Survey (Lansing: Michigan Department o f Education, 19751.

46

a c tiv itie s fo r the comprehensive delivery o f career education In
Michigan.

This Act says that every school system must have a plan

fo r career education.
The Michigan Model fo r Career Education Id e n tifie s two major
areas o f career education—career preparation and career development.
They are defined:
. . . career preparation 1s academic* vocational and
technical Instruction Intended to provide the basis s k ills
and employment s k ills necessary fo r the e ffic ie n t f u l f i l l ­
ment of l i f e career roles.
Career development 1s the content which provides the
knowledge and s k ills an Individual needs 1n order to plan
fo r and establish I1fe-career roles. The elements of
career development are self-awareness, career exploration,
decision-making, planning and p lac e m e n t. 69
A c tiv itie s 1n the career planning and placement component o f
career development are designed to help students develop and Imple­
ment systematic programs to reach career goals.
The Individual In this component sets out to acquire
prerequisite s k ills and knowledge which lead to his or
her H fe -c a re e r goals.
The individual Id e n tifie s and uses appropriate resources
to acquire these s k ills and knowledges, and consciously
assesses progress toward H fe -c a re e r goals, making what­
ever adjustments are necessary to maintain progress toward
meaningful llfe -c a re e r goal s .70

eg

Process Guide fo r Career Guidance 1n Career Education
Handbook fo r Implementation, Program development Section tLansTng,
Michigan: Michigandepartment of Education, n .d .), pp. 15-16.
^C areer Development, Goals and Performance Indicators
(Lansing, Michigan: Michigan Department o f Education,^!974J, p. 7.

47
Development o f Resource and
Curriculum MateriaTs
The Michigan Department o f Education has developed curriculum
materials and In itia te d research projects to support Its career
education commitment.

A major document 1s the Career Education

Handbook fo r Implementation* which Includes a Placement Gulde7^ out­
lin in g elements and objectives fo r school-based placement services.
72
Also Included 1s the Process Guide fo r Career Guidance
which serves
as a guide to assist counselors 1n Michigan "to get organized.
Id e n tify goals and objectives, design, Implement and evaluate a
career guidance program."
A grant was awarded to Manpower Sciences Services, by the
Michigan Department of Education, to research, develop, and tes t a
training program fo r placement personnel.

A task analysis was done

of the jobs o f placement specialists and placement coordinators 1n
the schools and Intermediate school d is tric ts .

Usable responses

were received from 181 of the 416 people to whom the survey Instru­
ment was sent.

Sixty-four o f the respondents worked at job placement

functions from 75-100 percent o f th e ir time.

Of the remaining who

worked a t job placement less than fu ll time, 33.8 percent also
served as counselors, 27.5 percent were coop coordinators, 21.8 per­
cent were administrators, 20.4 percent were vocational teachers.
The remainder were scattered among a variety o f duties.
71

Placement Guide, op. c1t.

72Ib1d.
73Ib1d., p. 1.

48
From th is task analysis, the following modules were Id e n ti­
fied as the contents fo r the placement personnel train ing program.
The modules given high p rio rity were:
1.

Identifying and Locating Students/Former Students to
Receive Placement Services

2.

Referring Individuals to Jobs

3.

Placement Record Keeping Systems

4.

Promoting the Placement Service

5.

Locating Potential Employers and Making In it ia l Contacts

6.

Making Persuasive Presentations to Employers

7.

Maintaining and Expanding Employer Accounts.

74

Four modules Id e n tifie d fo r la te r development were:
1.

Organizing and Using Advisory Groups

2.

Program Assessment, Follow-Up, and Evaluation

3.

Managing a Placement Program

4.

Coordinating with Other School Programs.

75

None o f the above modules were concerned with employability
s k ills development.

These were developed through a grant to the

In s titu te o f Agricultural Technology at Michigan State U niversity.
A series of eleven pieces o f teacher and student materials were
developed w ritten 1n module form to help students acquire job seeking and job-keeping s k ills .

The content o f the student modules

included:
74Job Placement S p ecialists’ Tasks and Training Needs: A
Survey, Manpower Science Services In c ., pp. 5-7. (Mimeographed.)

49

1.

Determine your job goal.

2.

Build a master 11st o f possible employers.

3.

Develop facts to prove your value to employers.

4.

Use your facts to put your actual resume together.

5.

Learn how to contact employers by le t t e r and by phone.

6.

Learn how to handle a ll the paperwork related to working.

7.

Get ready fo r the job Interviews.

8.

Learn how to handle the actual job Interviews.

9.

Learn how to choose* accept and keep the best job.

10.

Learn how to handle things once you're on the job.

11.

Learn how to recycle the s k ills

you've learned.

Included with the Employability S k ills Sheets and Employ­
a b ilit y S k ills Sheet Guides Is a slide/tape presentation which pro­
vides an overview of the e n tire package o f materials and can also
serve as an Introduction to the curriculum m aterials.
Current Placement 1n Michigan
According to Martin^* placement In Michigan a t the secondary
level started about 1970-71 with the funding o f exemplary placement
programs 1n seven area s k ill centers.

These programswere funded on

a three-year basis and were considered quite successful.

In 1975

the concept was applied to the comprehensive high school with the
funding o f sixteen area placement projects* established as p ilo t
76Jack M artin, "Student Placement Services: An Integral
Part o f Career Education," Indiana In v ita tio n al Conference on
Placement, S m ith vllie , Indiana, June 25-27 (Indianapolis: IFd 1ana
State Board of Vocational and Technical Education, June 1975), p. 27.

50
programs covernlng most o f the population centers o f the State.
These projects, were funded on an annual basis fo r three years.
The rationale behind the concept of "area placement" is
explained as follows:
A labor market w ill generally encompass several schools
or school d is tric ts . Therefore, 1t 1s advantageous to
the schools and the employers 1n the area to coordinate
e ffo rts 1n canvassing employers and to exchange Informa­
tion concerning available manpower and u n fille d job
openings. The primary component In the actual delivery
o f placement services to students 1s the local school but
the placement e ffo rts of th at school are not Isolated
from other schools within the labor market. Area place­
ment is prim arily designed to coordinate and support
local e f f o r t .77
Area placement gives a local placement person an opportunity to
exchange labor market Information with other local placement
sp ecialists.

This exchange of Information on job openings at the

local level allows Individual schools a much broader coverage of
the labor market than would be possible through Individual effo rts
alone.
Twenty-two people are assigned fu ll-tim e responsibility for
placement at the area le v e l.

At the local le v e l, 502 people have

some responsibility fo r placement; however, only about 20 percent
work more than 50 percent of th e ir time in placement.

Twenty-nine

percent work between 10 percent and 25 percent of th e ir time 1n
placement, and 43 percent work less than 10 percent of th e ir time
1n placement.

77

Vocational Education Area Placement Projects, Michigan
Department o f Education. (Mimeographed.)

51

Although Michigan has done much to strengthen existing job
placement, current e ffo rts s t i l l do not serve the needs o f a ll
students.

Job placement has not as yet been extended to populations

other than vocational education students.

The existing placement

e ffo rts could be improved substantially by the addition o f people at
the local level with placement as th e ir primary responsibility rather
than as an added responsibility.
A b il l has been introduced Into the Michigan leg is latu re
which has provisions concerning job placement services.

House B ill

4014 has as Its target a much larger population than that o f the area
placement projects, and provides fo r the planning, coordination and
funding of job placement services in Michigan.
Summary
A review of the lite ra tu re revealed that no studies have
been done that dealt with the Involvement of vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors in providing specific kinds of
Information and s k ills 1n career planning and placement.

However,

much o f the lite ra tu re spoke to the student's need fo r assistance in
career planning and placement, as well as the lack of career
guidance, counseling and placement assistance a t the secondary le v e l.
The following statements summarize the lite ra tu re reviewed.
1.

Guidance counselors have been severely c ritic iz e d In
recent years fo r devoting most of th e ir effo rts toward
the college-bound and educational placement, while
neglecting the employment-bound and occupational placement.

52
2.

There have been studies which suggested that students leave
the educational system without having received assistance
with career planning and job placement.

3.

Several studies revealed that students re ly on friends,
re la tiv e s , and other self-1n1t1ated methods to obtain
employment.

4.

The lite ra tu re 1s devoid of sig n ifica n t studies on place­
ment fo r developing programs, as well as on the placement
and follow-up of secondary students.

5.

The Career Education Movement of the 1970s has been
largely responsible fo r attempts to Improve, redefine and
expand career guidance, counseling, and placement.

Its

impact can be seen 1n the following:

6.

a.

School-based placement services a t the secondary
level has become a v ita l area of concern at state
and national levels.

b.

Several states have undertaken studies and develop­
mental research projects to provide a basis fo r
developing guidelines fo r establishing and
Implementing school-based placement services.

c.

There has been an Increase 1n guidance support
personnel such as placement coordinator, career
education s p e c ia lis t, and occupational Information
sp ecialist.

The State o f Michigan has done much to strengthen
existing job placement; however, current e ffo rts s t i l l
do not serve the needs o f a ll students.

Job placement

has not as yet been extended to populations other than
vocational education students.

CHAPTER I I I
RESEARCH PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGY

The problem o f the study was to determine the nature and
extent o f the Involvement o f vocational business teachers and
guidance counselors 1n providing specific kinds of Information and
s k ills 1n career planning and placement, and to ascertain th e ir
opinions regarding the kinds o f Information and s k ills which should
be the resp o nsib ility of the vocational business teacher, guidance
counselor, and placement coordinator.
The descriptive survey method was chosen as being most
appropriate to achieve the purposes o f th is study.

Gay defined

descriptive research as follows:
. . . Involves collecting data In order to test
hypotheses or to answer questions concerning the current
status o f the subject o f the study. A descriptive study
determines and reports the way things a r e . 78
Hopkins points out th at the label descriptive research 1s
not wholly appropriate because this type o f research does more than
describe.
Descriptive research can be viewed as having two d is tin c t
parts. F ir s t, the study by description provides data
about the present conditions . . . . Second, the
78

L. R. Gay, Educational Research: Competencies fo r
Analysis and Application (Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. M e rrill
Publishing Co., 1976), p. 123.

53

54
establishment o f the meaning takes the data and forms
conclusions by comparing, contrasting, or identifying
relatio n sh ip s.79
Because o f the type o f data needed and the size of the sample,
the questionnaire was chosen as the most e ffic ie n t means o f gathering
information.

Gay comnents:

. . . the use of a questionnaire has some d e fin ite
advantages over other methods of collecting data which
are not available through other sources . . . a question*
nalre 1s much more e ffic ie n t 1n that i t requires less
time, 1s less expensive, and permits collection of data
from a much larger sample.80
Population
In order to insure representation o f vocational o ffic e
teacher/coordinators, the population o f the study consisted o f a ll
vocational business teachers and guidance counselors 1n schools
having a state-approved cooperative o ffic e education program.
During the 1976-77 school year, there were 1n Michigan 306 secondary
schools operating state-approved cooperative o ffic e education
programs.
Selection o f Participants
Secondary schools having a cooperative o ffic e education
program were grouped according to size to Insure th at teachers and
counselors from a ll schools would be represented.

The c la s s ific a ­

tion by the Michigan High School A th le tic Association was used to
79

Charles D. Hopkins, Educational Research; A Structure fo r
Inquiry (Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. M e rrill Publishing Co., 1576),
p. 13*.

80Ib1d., p. 128.

55

group schools according to the following enrollments:

Class A -

1,480 or more; Class B - 716 to 1,479; Class C - 371 to 715; and
Class D - less than 371.
A disproportional random sample of schools was drawn.

It

was decided that a ll vocational business teachers In the sample
would be surveyed and a maximum of three guidance counselors chosen
at random from each school.

Table 1 shows the relevant data con­

cerning the sample selection.
In October 1977, the 296 guidance counselors and 299
vocational business teachers selected fo r the study were mailed a
questionnaire, a le t te r of explanation, and a stamped, pre-addressed
envelope fo r the return of the questionnaire (see Appendices A and B).
Two weeks la te r , a follow-up questionnaire with le t t e r of explanation
and a stamped, pre-addressed envelope were mailed to participants
not responding to the f i r s t questionnaire.

At the end o f two weeks,

a to tal of 372 or 63 percent of the questionnaires had been returned.
A fin a l postcard requesting cooperation was mailed at th is time
(Appendix C).

Three weeks a fte r the postcard follow-up, only an

additional fifte e n questionnaires had been received bringing the
to tal number o f questionnaires received to 387 or 65 percent.
However, at least one questionnaire was returned from 93 percent or
105 o f the 113 sample schools.
Of the 387 questionnaires returned, 371 or 62 percent were
usable.

Table 2 shows the d istribu tion of fin a l returns o f the

questionnaires.

TABLE 1.— Sample Selection.

Class

Number of
Schools
(less p ilo t)

Sample
Percentages
Drawn

Sample
Schools

Number of
Vocational
Business Teachers

Number of
Guidance
Counselors

Total

A

152

50

76

225

219

439

B

95

25

24

53

57

110

C and D

52

25

13

21

20

41

113

299

296

595

TOTALS

299

TABLE 2 .—Distribution of Final Returns of Questionnaires from Guidance Counselors
and Vocational Business Teachers in Michigan Schools.
Questionnaires
Returned

Percent
of Return

299

183

61.2

Guidance Counselors

296

188

63.5

TOTALS

595

317

62.4

Type of Respondent
Vocational Business Teachers

Questionnaires
Mailed

Teachers (99)
Teacher/Coordinators (84)

58
Instrumentation
One questionnaire was developed fo r both vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors.

The Instrument asked participants

to respond to selected Items 1n career planning and placement on two
scales to (1) determine the extent of th e ir involvement 1n providing
specific kinds of Information and s k ills * and (2) ascertain th e ir
opinions concerning who should have primary responsibility fo r pro­
viding each Item.
The questionnaire was developed using Information found 1n
the lite ra tu re relatin g to career development* vocational guidance
and counseling* occupational Information, and placement.

The most

sig n ifican t sources used included the following: Occupational
81
Information by Hoppock,
the Michigan Department o f Education’ s
82
83
Placement Guide
and Process Guide fo r Career Guidance,
and
research studies by Knezek®^ and B l l l e t t . 85
V a lid ity
The original form of the Instrument was submitted to a ju ry
panel composed o f fiv e members agreed upon by the w rite r and
dissertation chairman:
81

York:

Robert Hoppock, Occupational Information (3rd e d .; New
McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1967).
82
Placement Guide, op. c l t .
83
Process Guide, op. c1t.
84
Knezek, op. c1t.
8^ B 1 lle tt, op. c1t.

59
A vocational o ffic e education teacher at the secondary le v e l,
an Associate Professor 1n Career Education a t a state
university,
an Assistant Professor 1n Guidance and Counseling a t a state
university,
a Career Information Specialist in the Counseling Center at
a state university, and
a Director of Placement at a two-year community college.
The panel evaluated the Items fo r relevancy, completeness,
and c la r ity .

They were asked to add, change, reword, or delete any

Items, and then classify them Into three categories:

career Informa­

tio n , self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

C lassifica­

tion by at least three members determined the category o f each Item.
This cla ss ifica tio n was done fo r the purpose o f making s ta tis tic a l
comparisons o f respondents to groups of Items.

Therefore, the

questionnaire did not show the .classifications o f the Items.
Based on panel recommendations, three Items were added,
several reworded, and none deleted.
P ilo t
A p ilo t group consisting o f twenty vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors from seven schools was selected to
p re-test the survey Instrument fo r c la r ity o f items and directions,
ease 1n answering, and length o f time required.
The p ilo t revealed prim arily th at the directions were not
as clear as they could have been, and the questionnaire was too long.
A ll items were evaluated again and some combined reducing the to ta l
number of Items on the fin a l questlnnalre to fifty -o n e .
A factor analysis was done to see 1f items from the p ilo t
responses compared favorably with the c la s s ific a tio n of Items by the

60

ju ry panel.

Even taking Into consideration the small number of

respondents, the results were favorable:- career Information - 40
percent; self-placement - 83 percent; and placement a c tiv itie s 79 percent (see Appendix D fo r the c la s s ific a tio n of questionnaire
Items).
The fin a l, form o f the questionnaire was approved by the
members o f the dissertation committee.
Analysis o f Data
The data was coded and punched on cards fo r computer Input.
The following methods were used to analyze the data by SPSS
(S ta tis tic a l Package fo r the Social Sciences) and the M u ltivariate
Program on CDC 6500 computer a t Michigan State University.
Descriptive Analysis
The data was analyzed giving frequency responses, percentages,
means, and standard deviations when applicable fo r each Item.

The

means were used to determine a rank ordering o f Items on the f i r s t
scale of the questionnaire.
Ch1 Square Test
The chi square te s t o f homogeneity was selected to determine
1f agreement existed between respondents regarding the kinds of
Information and s k ills to be provided by the vocational business
teacher, guidance counselor, and placement coordinator.

61
M u ltivariate Analysis of Variance
The m ultivariate analysis of variance procedure was chosen
to determine 1f sig n ifica n t differences existed 1n Hypotheses One
through Four regarding the extent of Involvement of groups o f
respondents 1n three categories of Items:

career Information,

self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .
T-tests were used as the post hoc procedure to determine
which o f the three categories 1n each hypothesis was responsible fo r
*

producing sig n ific a n t differences between the groups o f respondents.
In testing Hypotheses Five, Six, and Seven, a two-way
analysis o f variance was used to examine Interaction effects
between vocational business teachers and guidance counselors 1n
relationship to th e ir responses regarding the need fo r a placement
coordinator and th e ir involvement 1n career planning and placement.

CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS

The findings o f the study are organized Into two major
sections:
1.

Involvement o f Vocational Business Teachers and
Guidance Counselors In Providing Specific Kinds of
Information and S k ills 1n Career Planning and
Placement.

2.

Opinions o f Vocational Business Teachers and Guid­
ance Counselors Regarding Career Planning and Place­
ment Responsibilities of the Vocational Business
Teacher, Guidance Counselor, and Placement Coordinator.

Data regarding the Involvement o f vocational business teach
ers and guidance counselors In career planning and placement were
based on a disproportlonal s tr a tifie d random sample o f secondary
schools 1n Michigan operating a Cooperative O ffice Education pro­
gram.

Respondents to the questionnaire represented 371 or six ty -

two percent o f the 595 vocational business teachers and guidance
counselors 1n the sample.

62

63

Involvement of Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance
Counselors In Providing Specific Kinds of Information
and S k ills In Career Planning and Placement
The f i r s t scale of the questionnaire 1s discussed 1n this
section.

Respondents were asked to Indicate how often they per­

formed fifty -o n e selected items in career planning and placement
using the following:

(1) rarely or never; (2) sometimes; (3) fr e ­

quently; and (4) always.

Table 3 shows the rank, means, and

standard deviations of the responses of vocational business teachers
and guidance counselors to the f i r s t scale o f the questionnaire.
In the following discussions. Items with a mean score of
3.0 or above and 2.0 or below w ill be pointed out.

The mean score

for each Item was used to determine a rank order o f the fifty -o n e
Items spearately fo r vocational business teachers and guidance
counselors.

When two or more Items had the same mean score, the

middle rank was assigned to a l l .
Involvement of Vocational Business Teachers
1n Career Planning and Placement
The mean involvement scores o f the fifty -o n e kinds of in fo r­
mation and s k ills fo r vocational business teachers ranged from a
low of 1.6 to a high of 3.5.

The following fifte e n items (29 per­

cent) received mean Involvement scores of 3.0 or above which In d i­
cated the kinds o f Information and s k ills provided most frequently
by vocational business teachers:
18.

Teach and require students to prepare a resume or data
sheet. (3.5)

TABLE 3 .—Sumnary Table of the Means, Standard Deviations, and Rank Order o f the Responses of
Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors Regarding th e ir Involvement in
Providing Specific Kinds of Information and S kills in Career Planning and Placement.
Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Kinds of Information and Skills

1.

Present information on types of jobs available
to students completing a secondary vocational
office program.

11.5

3.1

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide for students and
parents describing placement assistance
available to students.

50

1.8

3.

Conduct interviews with potential school
dropouts for placement purposes.

51

1.6

4.

Inform students of the requirements of various
o ffic e occupations.

3.5

3.4

5.

Acquaint employers with the type of student
available for employment from the vocational
office program.

29.5

2.6

6.

Present information on various tools,
machines, and other materials used in office
occupations.

9

3.2

7.

Make regular v is its to employers to update
knowledge of job requirements and s o lic it job
vacancies.

29.5

2.6

9.5

2.6

.767

50.5

1.65

.99

.78

21.5

2.26

.91

.74

6

2.7

.82

35

2.1

1.1

35

2.1

1.1

46

1.9

1.1

.81

1.0

1.0

.85

1.1

TABLE 3.— Continued.
Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Kinds of Information and S kills

8.

Inform students what a typical working day is
lik e and type of work environment in office
occupations.

9.

Conduct surveys of local businesses to
determine job openings.

44.5

10.

Inform students of the normal working hours
for various office jobs.

11.5

11.

Impress upon students the importance of non­
s k ill qualifications o f the employee such as
loyalty, honesty, punctuality, dependability.

3.5

12.

Conduct follow-up surveys of graduates to
determine types of employment found.

41.5

2.2

13.

Present information on the typical career
ladder associated with the students' occupa­
tional area o f training.

21.5

2.8

14.

Assist students in learning the nature of
the work performed in each position on th eir
career ladder.

21.5

2.8

9

3.2

.75

21.5

2.3

.99

49

1.8

3.1

.81

21.5

2.3

.97

3.4

.68

3

3.0

.82

21.5

2.3

.9

13

2.5

.87

.87

15.5

2.4

.89

2..1

1.1

.96

1.1

1.1

o>
cn

TABLE 3.— Continued.
Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation
35

Kinds o f Information and Skills

15.

Locate and identify potential job placements
fo r students.

29.5

2.6

16.

Inform students of educational requirements
and/or experience necessary to advance to
other positions on his/her career ladder.

14

3.0

.86

6

2.7

.84

17.

Inform students how to identify sources for
obtaining names and addresses of prospective
employers locally.

21.5

2.8

.85

15.5

2.4

.85

18.

Teach and require students to prepare a
resume or data sheet.

19.

Identify and record information concerning each
student's s k ills and employment or educational
objective in order to make referrals to
employers or another counselor.

20.

Provide actual samples of employment applica­
tions and require the student to compete.

21.

Assist students in evaluating th eir own job
qualifications in lig h t of employer require­
ments.

1.0

2.1

1.0

cn

CTl
1.5
21.5

3.5
2.8

.68

35

1.1

21.5

2.1
2.3

6

3.3

.79

35

2.1

14

3.0

.80

13

2.5

1.0
1.1

1.1
.86

TABLE 3.— Continued.
Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Kinds of Information and S kills

22.

Inform students of standards of dress,
grooming and hygiene in the work setting.

23.

Teach students how to identify and seek appro­
priate individuals to serve as references.

1.5

24. Teach students how to w rite a le tte r of
application in response to an actual vacancy.

3.5

.67

3.3

.75

3.3

.77

2.6

.9

13

2.5

.89

35

2.1

1.0

35

2.1

1.0

25. Provide a central place for bringing together
general employer information.

44.5

2.1

26. Inform students of differences between
secondary, two-year and private school
programs for business jobs.

21.5

2.8

.82

3.1

.78

27.

Assist students in making comparisons of types
of jobs available to students completing a twoyear and secondary business curriculum.

34.5

2.5

.89

2.7

.83

28.

Inform students of types of examinations which
may be given by various types of employers.

14

3.0

.81

28.5

2.2

.91

17

2.9

.85

1

3.3

.68

29. Acquaint students with sources of career
information and where to locate them.

1.1

9.5

TABLE 3.— Continued.
Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Kinds of Information and Skills

30.

Present information on the regional and
national outlook with projected openings
for various office occupations.

29.5

2.6

.94

9.5

2.6

.89

31.

Assist students in securing sunmer employment

39.5

2.3

.96

28.5

2.2

.85

32.

Assist students in securing part-time
employment while in school.

34.5

2.5

.97

21.5

2.3

.83

33.

Present information on the local job outlook
with projected openings for various office
occupations.

37.5

2.4

.95

28.5

2.2

.96

34.

Present information on number and distribution
o f the work force in o ffice occupations by
sex, age, education, job t i t l e .

47.5

2.0

.89

46

1.9

.89

35.

Make referrals of individual students to
various employers with job openings for
fu ll-tim e employment.

34.5

2.5

.9

35

2.1

.91

36.

Present information on new office occupations
or decline in office occupations as a result
of new technology.

34.5

.9

41.5

2.0

.87

2.5

TABLE 3.— Continued.
Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Standard
RankMean Deviation

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Kinds of Information and Skills

37.

V is it employers to keep abreast of innovations
or changes in office occupations and to revise
or update curriculum.

29.5

2.6

.97

46

38.

Arrange opportunities fo r students to ta lk to
recent graduates or individuals working in
office occupations.

39.5

2.3

.84

41.5

2.0

.86

39.

Inform students o f approximate beginning
salary ranges and fringe benefits (sick
leave, vacation, insurance).

17

2.9

.87

21.5

2.3

.84

40.

Organize "career days" where employers discuss
local job opportunities.

49

1.9

21.5

2.3

.94

41.

Help students see the relationship between size
of employer and advancement opportunities.

29.5

2.6

35

2.1

.81

42.

Keep an up-to-date lis tin g or posting of
current local job openings.

44.5

2.1

1.1

41.5

43.

Conduct a yearly survey of employers of
vocational o ffice graduates to determine how
the o ffic e program might be improved.

47.5

2.0

1.1

50.5

1.0
.89

1.9

2.0
1.7

1.0

1.1
.97

TABLE 3.— Continued.

Kinds of Information and Skills

Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

Standard
Rank Mean Deviation

44.

Identify sources of information concerning
opportunities fo r employment, and procedures
required to u tiliz e these services.

37.5

2.4

.9

28.5

2.2

.91

45.

Make available to students information on what
businesses have hired former graduates and in
what types of positions.

44.5

2.1

.98

46

1.9

.87

46.

Make available specific materials or contacts
that can prepare a student with information
about an employer prior to an interview.

41.5

2.2

46

1.9

.93

47.

Acquaint students with comnunity agencies
providing job placement.

25.5

2.7

.98

9.5

2.6

.83

48.

Describe or demonstrate the interview process
including how to arrange an interview,
typical questions asked, and dress.

9

3.2

.82

21.5

2.3

.93

49.

Teach students how to evaluate a job offer in
lig h t of th e ir own personal c rite ria
(fin an cial, social).

25.5

2.7

.86

21.5

2.3

.80

50.

Acquaint students with generally accepted
procedures for terminating a job including
length of notice, and request fo r references.

21.5

2.8

.93

41.5

2.0

.93

51.

Make students aware of the need to investigate
and weigh information before making a decision.

17

2.9

.82

4

2.9

.81

1.0

71
22.

Inform students of standards o f dress, grooming and
hygiene 1n the work setting. (3 .5 )

4.

Inform students o f the requirements o f various o ffic e
occupations. (3 .4 )

11.

Impress upon students the Importance o f non-skill
q u alificatio ns of the employee such as lo y a lty , honesty,
punctuality, and dependability. (3 .4 )

23. Teach students how to Id e n tify and seek appropriate
Individuals to serve as references. (3 .3 )
24.

Teach students how to w rite a le t t e r o f application In
response to an actual vacancy. (3 .3 )

20.

Provide actual samples o f employment applications and
require.student to complete. (3.3)

6.

Present Information on various tools, machines and
other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations. (3 .2 )

8.

Inform students what a typical working day 1s lik e
type o f work environment 1n o ffic e occupations.

and

48.

Describe or demonstrate the Interview process Including
how to arrange an interview, typical questions asked,
and dress.„ (3 .2 )

10.

Inform students o f the normal working hours fo r various
o ffic e jobs. (3 .1 )

1.

Present information on types of jobs available to
students completing a secondary vocational o ffic e
program. (3 .1 )

21.

Assist students 1n evaluating th e ir own job q u a lifi­
cations 1n lig h t o f employer requirements. (3 .0 )

16.

Inform students of educational requirements and/or
experience necessary to advance to other positions on
th e ir career ladders. (3 .0 )

28.

Inform students of types o f examinations which may be
given by various types o f employers. (3.0 )

Conversely, the following kinds o f information and s k ills
received mean Involvement scores o f 2.0 or less to Indicate lea st
Involvement by vocational business teachers.

72
3.

Conduct Interviews with potential school dropouts for
placement purposes. (1 .6 )

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and parents
describing placement assistance available. (1 .8 )

40.

Organize "career days" where employers discuss local
Job opportunities. (1 .9 )

34.

Present Information on number and d istrib u tio n o f the
work force 1n o ffic e occupations by sex, age, educa­
tio n . (2 .0 )

43.

Conduct a yearly survey of employers of vocational
o ffic e graduates to determine how the o ffic e program
might be Improved. (2 .0 )

Table 4 shows the rank order o f the fifty -o n e kinds o f information
and s k ills according to the mean Involvement scores o f vocational
business teachers.
Involvement of Guidance Counselors 1n
Career Planning and Placement
The mean Involvement scores of the fifty -o n e Items for
guidance counselors ranged from a low o f 1.7 to a high o f 3.3.
Three Items (6 percent) received mean Involvement scores o f 3.0
or above.
29.

Acquaint students with sources of career Information
and where to locate, them. (3 .3 )

26.

Inform students of differences between secondary, twoyear and private school programs fo r business jobs.
(3 .1 )

11.

Impress upon students the Importance o f non-skill
q u alificatio n s o f the employee such as lo y a lty , honesty,
punctuality, and dependability. (3 .0 )

Least Involvement by guidance counselors was indicated by
the following kinds of information and s k ills which received mean
Involvement scores less than 2.0.

73
TABLE 4 .—Rank Order o f the Kinds of Information and S k ills 1n Career
Planning and Placement Provided by Vocational Business
Teachers.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Mean

1.5

18. Teach and require students to prepare a resume
or data sheet.

3.5

1.5

22. Inform students of standards o f dress, grooming,
and hygiene 1n the work setting.

3.5

3.5

4. Inform students of the requirements o f various
o ffic e offupcalons.

3.4

3.5

11. Impress upon students the Importance of nons k ill q ualificatio ns of the employee such as
lo y a lty , honesty, punctuality, dependability, etc.

3.4

6

23. Teach students how to Id e n tify and seek approp rlate Individuals to serve as references.

3.3

6

24. Teach students how to w rite a le t te r of appUcation 1n response to an actual vacancy.

3.3

6

20. Provide actual samples o f employment applications
and require the student to complete.

3.3

9

6. Present Information on various tools, machines,
and other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations.

3.2

9

8. Inform students (by any method) what a typical
working day 1s lik e and type o f work environment
1n o ffic e occupations.

3.2

9

48. Describe or demonstrate the Interview process
Including how to arrange an Interview, typical
questions asked, dress, etc.

3.2

11.5

10. Inform students o f the normal working hours fo r
various o ffic e jobs.

3.1

11.5

1. Present Information on types o f jobs available
to students completing a secondary vocational
o ffic e program.

3.1

14

21. Assist students 1n evaluating th e ir own job
qualificatio ns 1n lig h t of employer requirements.

3.0

74
TABLE 4 .—Continued.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Mean

14

16. Inform student of educational requirements and/
or experience necessary to advance to other
positions on his or her career ladder.

3.0

14

28. Inform students of types of examinations which
may be given by various types of employers.

3.0

17

29. Acquaint students with sources o f career
information and where to locate them.

2.9

17

39. Inform students of approximate beginning salary
ranges and fringe benefits (sick leave,
vacation, Insurance, e tc .}

2.9

17

51. Make students aware o f the need to Investigate
and weigh Information before making a decision.

2.9

21.5

13. Present information on the typical career
ladder associated with the student's occupa­
tional area o f train in g .

2.8

21.5

14. Assist students 1n learning the nature o f the
work performed 1n each position on his or her
career ladder.

2.8

21.5

17. Inform students how to Id e n tify sources fo r
obtaining names and addresses o f prospective
employers lo c a lly .

2.8

21.5

19. Id e n tify and record Information concerning each
student's s k ills and employment or educational
objective in order to make re fe rra ls to
employers or another counselor.

2.8

21.5

26. Inform students of differences between secondary,
two-year and private school programs fo r
business jobs.

2.8

21.5

50. Acquaint students with generally accepted
procedures fo r terminating a job (Including
length of notice, request fo r references).

2.8

25.5

47. Acquaint students with community agencies
providing job placement.

2.7

75
TABLE 4 .—Continued.
Rank

Kinds of Information and S k ills

Mean

25.5

49. Teach students how to evaluate a job o ffe r 1n
lig h t of th e ir own personal c r ite r ia
(fin a n c ia l* s o c ia l).

2.7

29.5

5. Acquaint employers with the type of student
available fo r employment from the vocational
o ffic e program.

2.6

29.5

7. Make regular v is its to employers to update
knowledge o f job requirements and s o lic it job
vacancies.

2.6

29.5

15. Locate and Id e n tify potential job placements fo r
students.

2.6

29.5

30. Present Information on the regional and national
outlook with projected openings fo r various
o ffic e occupations.

2.6

29.5

37. V is it employers to keep abreast of Innovations
or changes 1n o ffic e occupations and to revise
or update curriculum.

2.6

29.5

41. Help students see the relationship between size
o f employer and advancement opportunities.

2.6

34.5

27. Assist students 1n making comparisons o f types
o f jobs available to students completing a
two-year and secondary business curriculum.

2.5

34.5

32. Assist students 1n securing part-tim e employment
while 1n school.

2.5

34.5

35. Make re fe rra ls o f Individual students to various
employers with job openings fo r fu ll-tim e
employment.

2.5

34.5

36. Present Information on new o ffic e occupations or
decline 1n o ffic e occupations as a re su lt of
new technology.

2.5

37.5

33. Present information on the local job outlook with
projected openings fo r various o ffic e occupations.

2.4

37.5

44. Id e n tify sources o f Information concerning
opportunities fo r employment* and procedures
required to u t iliz e these services.

2.4

76
TABLE 4 .—Continued.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Mean

39.5

38.

Arrange opportunities fo r students to ta lk to
recent graduates or individuals working in
o ffic e occupations.

2.3

39.5

31.

Assist students in securing summer employment.

2.3

41.5

12.

Conduct follow-up surveys o f graduates to
determine types o f employment found.

2.2

41.5

46.

Make available specific materials or contacts
that can prepare a student with Information
about an employer p rio r to an interview.

2.2

44.5

9.

Conduct surveys o f local businesses to
determine job openings.

2.T

44.5

42.

Keep an up-to-date l i s t or posting o f current
local job openings.

2.1

44.5

25.

Provide a central place fo r bringing together
general employer information.

2.1

44.5

45.

Make available to students information on what
businesses have hired former graduates and in
what types of positions.

2.1

47.5

43.

Conduct a yearly survey o f employers o f voca­
tional o ffic e graduates to determine how the
o ffic e program might be improved.

2.0

47.5

34.

Present Information on number and d istribu tion
of the work force in o ffic e occupations by
sex, age, education.

2.0

49

40.

Organize "career days" where employers discuss
local job opportunities.

1.9

50

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and
parents describing placement assistance
available to students.

1.8

51

3.

Conduct interviews with potential school dropouts
fo r placement purposes.

1.6

77
43.

Conduct a yearly survey o f employers of vocational
o ffic e graduates to determine how the o ffic e program
might be Improved. (1 .7 )

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and parents
describing placement assistance available. (1 .7 )

9.

Conduct surveys o f local businesses to determine job
openings. (1 .8 )

46.

Make available specific materials or contacts than can
prepare a student with Information about an employer
prior to an Interview. (1 .9 )

45.

Make available to students Information on what busi­
nesses have hired former graduates and 1n what types
of positions. (1 .9 )

37.

V is it employers to keep abreast o f Innovations or
changes 1n o ffic e occupations and to revise or update
curriculum. (1 .9 )

34.

Present Information on number and d istrib u tio n o f the
work force 1n o ffic e occupations by sex, age and edu­
cation. (1 .9 )

7.

Make regular v is its to employers to update knowledge
of job requirements and s o lic it job vacancies. (1.9)

Table 5 shows the rank order o f a ll Items according to the mean
Involvement scores of guidance counselors.
Comparisons of the Responses of Groups of
Respondents Regarding Their Involvement
In Career Planning anJ Placement
One o f the purposes o f this study was to compare the
responses of groups of respondents on the extent o f th e ir Involve­
ment 1n three categores of questionnaire Items determined by the
ju ry panel:

career Information, self-placement s k ills and place­

ment a c tiv itie s .

(See Appendix D fo r c la s s ific a tio n o f Item s.)

A ll vocational business teachers were f i r s t compared with
guidance counselors.

For further comparisons with guidance

78
TABLE 5 .—Rank Order of the Kinds of Information and S k ills 1n
Career Planning and Placement Provided by Guidance
Counselors.
Rank

Kinds of Information and S k ills

Mean

1

29. Acquaint students with sources o f career
Information and where to locate them.

3.3

2

26. Inform students o f differences between secondary,
two-year and private school programs fo r
business jobs.

3.1

3

11. Impress upon students the Importance of non-skill
q ualificatio ns of the employee such as lo y a lty ,
honesty, punctuality, dependability.

3.0

4

51. Make students aware o f the need to Investigate
and weigh Information before making a decision.

2.9

6

27. Assist students 1n making comparisons o f types
of jobs available to students completing a
two-year and secondary business curriculum.

2.7

6

16. Inform students o f educational requirements and/
or experience necessary to advance to other
positions on th e ir career ladder.

2.7

6

4. Inform students o f the requirements of various
o ffic e occupations.

2.7

9.5

1. Present Information on types o f jobs available to
students completing a secondary vocational o ffic e
program.

2.6

9.5

22. Inform students o f standards o f dress, grooming,
and hygiene 1n the work setting.

2.6

9.5

30. Present Information on the regional and national
outlook with projected openings fo r various
o ffic e occupations.

2.6

9.5

47. Acquaint students with community agencies
providing job placement.

2.6

13

23. Teach students how to Id e n tify and seek
appropriate Individuals to serve as references.

2.5

13

21. Assist students In evaluating th e ir own job q u a ilflcatio n s 1n lig h t o f employer requirements.

2.5

79
TABLE 5 .—Continued.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Mean

13

13. Present Information on the typical career ladder
associated with the student's occupational area
of tra in in g .

2.5

15.5

14. Assist students 1n learning the nature of the
work performed 1n each position on th e ir
career ladder.

2.4

15.5

17. Inform students how to Id e n tify sources fo r
obtaining names and addresses o f prospective
employers lo c a lly .

2.4

21.5

8. Inform students what a typical working day 1s
lik e and type of work environment 1n o ffic e
occupations.

2.3

21.5

3. Conduct Interviews with potential school
dropouts fo r placement purposes.

2.3

21.5

10. Inform students o f the normal working hours fo r
various o ffic e jobs.

2.3

21.5

12. Conduct follow-up surveys o f graduates to
determine types o f employment found.

2.3

21.5

19. Id e n tify and record information concerning each
student's s k ills and employment or educational
objective in order to make re ferra ls to
employers or another counselor.

2.3

21.5

32. Assist students

2.3

21.5

39. Inform students o f approximate beginning salary
ranges and fringe benefits (sick leave, vacation,
insurance).

2.3

21.5

40. Organize "career days" where employers discuss
local job opportunities.

2.3

21.5

48. Describe or demonstrate the Interview process
Including how to arrange an Interview, typical
questions asked, and dress.

2.3

21.5

49. Teach students how to evaluate a job o ffe r 1n
lig h t o f th e ir own personal c r ite r ia (fin a n c ia l,
so c ia l).

2.3

1n securing summer employment.

80
TABLE 5 .—Continued.
Rank

Kinds of Information and S k ills

Mean

28.5

33. Present Information on the local job outlook with
projected openings for various o ffic e occupations.

2.2

28.5

44. Id e n tify sources o f Information concerning
opportunities fo r employment, and procedures
required to u t iliz e these services.

2.2

28.5

28. Inform students o f types of examinations which
may be given by various types of employers.

2.2

28.5

31. Assist students 1n securing summer employment.

2.2

35

5. Acquaint employers with the type of student
available fo r employment from the vocational
o ffic e program.

2.1

35

6. Present Information on various tools, machines.
and other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations.

2.1

35

15. Locate and Id e n tify potential job placements fo r
students.

2.1

35

18. Teach and require students to prepare a resume
or data sheet.

2.1

35

20. Provide actual samples o f employment applications
and require the student to complete.

2.1

35

24. Teach students how to w rite a le t t e r of appUcat1on in response to an actual vacancy.

2.1

35

25. Provide a central place fo r bringing together
general employer Information.

2.1

35

35. Make re fe rra ls of individual students to various
employers with job openings fo r fu ll-tim e
employment.

2.1

35

41. Help students see the relationship between size
o f employer and advancement opportunities.

2.1

41.5

36. Present information on new o ffic e occupations or
decline 1n o ffic e occupations as a resu lt o f new
technology.

2.0

81
TABLE 5.—Continued.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Mean

41.5

38. Arrange opportunities fo r students to ta lk to
recent graduates or individuals working In
o ffic e occupations.

2. 0

41.5

42. Keep an up-to-date l i s t or posting o f current
local job openings.

2.0

41.5

50. Acquaint students with generally accepted
procedures fo r terminating a job, including
length o f notice, request fo r references.

2. 0

46

7. Make regular v is its to employers to update
knowledge o f job requirements and s o lic it job
vacancies.

1.9

46

34. Present Information on number and d istribu tion
o f the work force 1n o ffic e occupations by sex,
age, education.

1.9

46

37. V is it employers to keep abreast of Innovations
or changes 1n o ffic e occupations and to revise
or update curriculum.

1.9

46

45. Make available to students Information on what
businesses have hired former graduates and 1n
what types o f positions.

1.9

46

46. Make available specific materials or contacts
that can prepare a student with Information
about an employer p rio r to an interview.

1.9

40

9. Conduct surveys o f local businesses to determine
job openings.

1.8

50.5

2. Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and
parents describing placement assistance available
to students.

1.7

50.5

43. Conduct a yearly survey o f employers of
vocational o ffic e graduates to determine how
the o ffic e program might be Improved.

1.7

82
counselors* vocational business teachers were divided Into two
groups:

teachers and teacher/coordinators.

Table 6 shows the

mean Involvement scores and standard deviations fo r each respondent
groups across the three categories o f Items.
Four null hypotheses were tested comparing four respon­
dent groups.

The m ultivariate analysis o f variance was chosen as

the most appropriate s ta tis tic a l procedure to determine 1f s ig n ifi­
cant differences existed between the mean Involvement scores o f
respondent groups 1n the three categories.

This s ta tis tic a l

procedure was chosen because each of the four hypotheses Involved
a contrast with three In terrelated variables which could be
look a t simultaneously.

(See Appendix E fo r results o f Pearson

Correlation C o e ffic ie n t).

Thus* each of the four hypotheses was

tested by the m ultivariate F -test at .001 level o f significance.
For any hypothesis that was rejected, the t -te s t with pooled
variance was used as the post hoc procedure to determine which of
the three categories produced s ig n ifica n t differences between each
p a ir of respondent groups.
The results of the m ultivariate analysis of variance and
the post hoc t- te s t for each hypothesis are discussed separately.
Hypothesis One
There 1s no difference between the responses o f voca­
tional business teachers and guidance counselors regarding
th e ir Involvement In providing career Information* s e lf­
placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .
The m ultivariate F -test o f Hypothesis One was 63.81 which
was sig n ifica n t a t .001 le v e l.

Therefore, the hypothesis was

TABLE 6.~Suimiary Table o f the Mean Involvement Scores and Standard Deviations o f Four Groups of
Respondents Across Three Categories of Items in Career Planning and Placement.

Respondent Groups

Vocational Business Teachers*

Career
Information
-----------------------Standard
Mean Deviation

S elfPlacement
-----------------------Standard
Mean Deviation

Placement
A ctivities
----------------------Standard
Mean Deviation

183

2.77

.58

3.13

.58

2.34

.65

Number of
Respondents

(1)

Teachers

99

2.70

.54

3.05

.56

2.03

.59

(2)

Teacher/Coordinators

84

2.84

.59

3.23

.54

2.71

.49

188

2.42

.60

2.41

.69

2.09

.70

Guidance Counselors

*

Vocational business teachers were divided into two groups.

84
rejected.

At least one of the three categories produced a s ig n ifi-

' cant difference between the responses o f vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors.

Table 7 contains the relevant

data fo r th is hypothesis.
The post hoc t -te s t revealed that a ll three categories—
career information, self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv i­
tie s —were sig n ifican t at the .001 le v e l.

Table 8 displays the

results o f the t -te s t fo r this hypothesis.
As shown in Table 6, the mean involvement scores o f voca­
tional business teachers were higher than those o f guidance coun­
selors 1n a ll three categories.

Therefore, i t can be concluded

that vocational business teachers were more Involved than guidance
counselors 1n providing career information, self-placement s k ills ,
and placement a c tiv itie s .
Hypothesis Two
There 1s no difference between the responses o f teachers
and teacher/coordinators regarding th e ir Involvement
in providing career information, self-placement s k ills ,
and placement a c tiv itie s .
In this hypothesis, vocational business teachers were
divided into two groups—teachers and teacher/coordinators—and
compared with each other.
As shown in Table 7, the m ultivariate F-test was found to
be sig n ifica n t at the .001 le v e l; therefore. Hypothesis Two was
rejected.

A sig n ifican t difference was found between the respon­

ses of teachers and teacher/coordinators produced by a t le a s t one
or more o f the three categories.

TABLE 7 .—Hypotheses One and Two: Results of Multivariate Analysis of Variance to Determine
Differences Between Groups of Respondents Regarding th e ir Involvement in Career
Planning and Placement.
Source of Variation

F-ratio

df^

Vocational Business Teachers versus Guidance Counselors

63.81

3

366

.0001*

Teachers versus Teacher/Coordinators

32.46

3

366

.0001*

The multivariate F-test is significant at .001 level.

dfg

Level

TABLE 8.—Result of Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences Between Vocational Business Teachers
and Guidance Counselors Regarding Their Involvement in Providing Career Information,
Self-Placement Skills and Placement Activities.

*(***£

Variable

“

T

SSi

Career Information

.36

.0603

5.902

368

.000*

Self-Placement S kills

.73

.0649

11.220

368

.000*

Placement A ctivities

.28

.0655

4.256

368

.000*

*

The t-test is significant at .001 level.

87
Table 9 shows that the post hoc t-t e s t found a sig nificant
difference between the responses o f teachers and teacher/coordina­
tors In only one o f the three categories—placement a c tiv itie s .
The mean Involvement scores as shown 1n Table 6 were higher
fo r teacher/coordinators than for teachers.

I t appears that

teacher/coordinators were more Involved than teachers 1n placement
a c tiv itie s .

However, there were no sig n ifica n t differences between

these two groups 1n the extent o f th e ir Involvement 1n providing
career Information and self-placement s k ills .
Hypothesis Three
There 1s no difference between the responses of teachers
and guidance counselors regarding th e ir Involvement 1n
providing career Information, self-placement s k ills , and
placement a c tiv itie s .
The m ultivariate F-test o f Hypothesis Three was found to be
sig n ifica n t at the .001 le v e l.
rejected.

Therefore, the hypothesis was

Table 10 displays the results o f the m ultivariate

F -test.
The post hoc t -te s t revealed that two categories were
responsible fo r the difference found between teachers and guidance
counselors 1n the m ultivariate F -te s t.

Table 11 shows that sig­

n ific a n t differences were found between the responses of teachers
and guidance counselors 1n two categories—career Information and
self-placement s k ills .
I t appears from the mean Involvement scores 1n Table 6 that
teachers were more Involved than guidance counselors 1n providing
career Information and self-placement s k ills .

However, there was

TABLE 9.—Result of Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences Between Teachers and Teacher/
Coordinators Regarding Their Involvement in Providing Career Information, SelfPlacement Skills and Placement Activities.
Magnitude of
Difference

Standard
Error

T Value

df

Sign.
Level

Career Information

-.14

.068

-1.635

368

.103

Self-Placement Skills

-.18

.0925

-1.926

368

.055

Placement A ctivities

-.68

.0936

-7.256

368

.000*

Variable

*

The t-test is significant at .001 level.

TABLE 10.--Hypotheses Three and Four: Results of Multivariate Analysis of Variance to Determine
Differences Between Groups of Respondents Regarding Their Involvement in Career
Planning and Placement.
F-ratio

df,

Teachers versus Guidance Counselors

55.65

Teacher/Coordinators versus Guidance Counselors

40.62

Source of Variation

★
The m ultivariate F-test is significant at .001 level.

df

^Ign.

3

366

.0001*

3

366

.0001*

TABLE 11.--Result of Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences Between Teachers and Guidance
Counselors Regarding Their Involvement in Providing Career Information, SelfPlacement Skills and Placement Activities.
Magnitude of
Difference

Variable

Standard
Error

T
' va,ue

aT

Sign.
Level

Career Information

.29

.0720

3.968

368

.000*

Self-Placement S kills

.64

.0776

8.250

368

.000*

-.06

.0782

- .769

Placement A ctivities

*

The t-test is significant at .001 level.

368

.442

91
no s ig n ifica n t difference beweeen teachers and guidance counselors
regarding th e ir Involvement 1n placement a c tiv itie s .
Hypothesis Four
There 1s no difference between the responses of teacher/
coordinators and guidance counselors regarding th e ir
Involvement 1n providing career Information, self-p lace­
ment s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .
The m u ltivariate F -te st of Hypothesis Four was 40.62 which
was s ig n ific a n t a t the .001 le v e l.
was rejected.

Therefore, the null hypothesis

Table 10 displays the results of the m ultivariate

F-test.
The post hoc t - t e s t revealed th at a ll three categories were
responsible fo r the difference found between the responses of
teacher/coordinators and guidance counselors 1n the m ultivariate
F .-te s t.

Table 12 shows the results of the post hoc t - t e s t .
As the mean Involvement scores were higher fo r teacher/

coordinators than fo r guidance counselors, 1t appears that teacher/
coordinators were more involved than guidance counselors 1n pro­
viding career Information, self-placement s k ills and placement
a c tiv itie s .
Overall Review o f the Involvement o f Vocational
Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors In
Career Planning and Placement
Degree of Involvement.

Vocational business teachers were

more Involved than guidance counselors 1n a ll Items 1n career
planning and placement.

Fifteen Items, or 29 percent, received

mean Involvement scores o f 3.0 and above from vocational business

TABLE 12.—Result of Post Hoc T-Test to Determine Differences Between Teacher/Coordinators and
Guidance Counselors Regarding Their Involvement in Providing Career Information,
Self-Placement Skills, and Placement Activities.
Variable

Magnitude of
Difference

Standard
Error

T Va1ue

df

Sign.
Level

Career Information

.43

.0760

5.602

368

.000*

Self-Placement S kills

.82

.0818

9.981

368

.000*

Placement A ctivities

.62

.0826

7.474

368

.000*

*

The t-test is significant at .001 level.

93
teachers; while only 3 items, or 6 percent, received mean involvement scores of 3.0 and above from guidance counselors.

S im ila rly ,

40 Items, or 78 percent, received mean involvement socres o f 2.5
and below from guidance counselors; while only 19 Items, or 37
percent, received mean Involvement scores of 2.5 and below from
vocational business teachers.
Kinds of Information and S k ills .

Vocational business

teachers tended to be most involved in providing self-placement
s k ills and least Involved in placement a c tiv itie s .

Guidance coun­

selors tended to be most Involved In providing career information
and least involved 1n placement a c tiv itie s .
Item 29—"Acquaint students with sources o f career in fo r­
mation and where to locate them"—received the highest mean involve­
ment score from guidance counselors.

The Item receiving the highest

mean Involvement score from vocational business teachers was Item
18—"Teach and require students to prepare a resume or data sheet."
Conversely, the Items receiving the lowest mean involve­
ment scores from guidance counselors were Item 43— "Conduct a
yearly survey of employers o f vocational o ffic e graduates to deter­
mine how the vocational o ffic e program might be Improved," and Item
2— "Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and parents describing
assistance available to students."

Item 3—"Conduct interviews

with potential school dropouts fo r placement purposes"—received
the lowest mean involvement score from vocational business teachers.
Results of Hypotheses Tested.

In order to determine the

kinds o f information and s k ills various groups o f respondents were

94
Involved 1n providing, Items were groups Into three categories—
career information, self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .
The M u ltiva riate F-tests revealed s ig n ifica n t differences between
a ll groups of respondents in the extent o f th e ir Involvement.

The

post hoc t-te s ts revealed the specific categories o f items in which
sig n ifica n t differences existed between the groups of respondents,
1.

S ign ifican t differences were found between vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors 1n th e ir
Involvement 1n providing career Information, s e lf­
placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

2.

S ig n ifican t differences were found between teachers and
teacher/coordinators in th e ir Involvement in providing
placement a c tiv itie s .

3.

S ign ifican t differences were found between teachers and
guidance counselors 1n th e ir Involvement 1n providing
career Information and self-placement s k ills .

4.

S ig n ifican t differences were found between teacher/
coordinators and guidance counselors 1n th e ir Involve­
ment 1n providing career Information, self-placement
s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

Table 13 shows a summary of four hypotheses tested.

TABLE 13.—Summary Table:

Hypotheses One Through Four.

Respondent Groups

Post Hoc T-Test*

M ultivariate*
Analysis of
Variance

Career
Information

Reject

X

S elfPlacement

Placement
A ctivities

Hypothesis One:
Vocational Business Teachers versus
Guidance Counselors

X

X

to

in

Hypothesis Two:
Teachers versus Teacher/Coordinators

X

Reject

Hypothesis Three:
Teachers versus Guidance Counselors

Reject

Hypothesis Four:
Teacher/Coordinators versus
Guidance Counselors
*

Significant at .001 level.

Reject

X

X

X

96

Opinions of Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance
Counselors Regarding Career Planning and Placement
Responsibilities of Vocational Business Teacher,
Guidance Counselor, and Placement Coordinator
The second scale of the questionnaire 1s discussed In this
section.

Respondents were asked to Indicate who should have p r i­

mary resp o nsib ility fo r providing each Item on the questionnaire:
(A) Vocational Business Teacher; (B) Guidance Counselor; or (C) Place
ment Coordinator.

Items were assigned to the vocational business

teacher, guidance counselor, or placement coordinator when Indicated
by 50 percent or more o f the respondents.

The sunmary frequencies

and percentages of responses of vocational business teachers and
guidance counselors fo r each Item are shown In Table 14.
In the following discussion, items receiving the highest
percent of response w ill be pointed out and the percent of response
Indicated 1n parentheses following each Item.
Responsibilities of the Vocational Business
teacher. Guidance Counselor, and Pfacement
Coordinator as Perceived by Vocational
Business Teachers
Vocational business teachers perceived the fifty -o n e Items
in career planning and placement as prim arily divided between
themselves and a placement coordinator.

Of the fifty -o n e Items,

57 percent were perceived to be the resp o n sib ilities of the voca­
tional business teacher; 25 percent were perceived to be the respon­
s ib ilit ie s of a placement coordinator; and 2 percent were precelved
to be the resp o n sib ilities o f the guidance counselor by a t least
50 percent of the vocational business teachers.

TABLE 14.--Summary Table of Frequency and Percent of Responses of Vocational Business Teachers and
Guidance Counselors Regarding the Kinds of Information and S kills to be Provided by the
Vocational Business Teacher, Guidance Counselor and Placement Coordinator.

Kinds of Information and Skills

Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

A*

B

C

A

B

C

1.

Present Information on types of jobs available to
students completing a secondary vocational o ffice
program.

66.3*
(122)

15.2
(28)

18.5
(34)

38.3
(72)

30.3
(57)

31.4
(59)

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide for students and
parents describing placement assistance available
to students.

17.4
(32)

14.1
(26)

68.5
(126)

6.4
(12)

16.0
(30)

77.7
(146)

3.

Conduct interviews with potential school dropouts
for placement purposes.

10.9
(20)

35.3
(65)

53.8
(99)

3.2
(6)

39.9
(75)

56.9
(107)

4.

Inform students of the requirements of various
o ffice occupations.

80.4
(148)

10.9
(20)

8.7
(16)

.5
(1)

50.5
(95)

35.6
(67)

5.

Acquaint employers with the type o f student
available for employment from the vocational
office program.

48.4
(89)

1.6
(3)

50
(92)

31.4
(59)

9.0
(17)

59.6
(112)

6.

Present information on various tools, machines,
and other materials used in office occupations.

92.4
(170)

2.2
(4)

5.4
(10)

79.8
(150)

7.4
(14)

12.2
(23)

7.

Make regular v is its to employers to update
knowledge of job requirements and s o lic it job
vacancies.

53.3
(98)

.5
(1)

46.2
(85)

25
(47)

3.7
(7)

71.3
(134)

*Entry is percent of responses. Number o f responses is given in parentheses.
Business Teacher; (B) Guidance Counselor; (C) Placement Coordinator.

(A) Vocational

TABLE 14.--Continued.

Kinds of Information and S kills

Vocational Business
Teachers
A*

B

Guidance Counselors

C

A

B

C

92.4
(170)

.5
(1)

6.5
(12)

76.6
(144)

10.1
(19)

13.3
(25)

Conduct surveys o f local businesses to determine
job openings

30.4
(56)

1.1
(2)

68.5
(126)

14.9
(28)

2.1
(4)

83
(156)

10.

Inform students o f the normal working hours for
various office jobs.

84.8
(156)

2.2
(4)

13
(24)

67.0
(126)

11.7
(22)

21.3
(40)

11.

Impress upon students the importance of non-skill
qualifications of the employee such as loyalty,
honesty, punctuality, dependability.

92.4
(170)

2.7
(5)

4.9
(9)

55.9
(105)

31.4
(59)

12.8
(24)

12.

Conduct follow-up surveys o f graduates to
determine types o f employment found.

20.1
(37)

12.0
(22)

67.9
(125)

8.0
(15)

28.2
(53)

63.8
(120

13.

Present information on the typical career
ladder associated with the student's occupational
area o f training.

76.1
(140)

12.0
(22)

12.0
(22)

39.4
(74)

43.6
(82)

17.0
(32)

14.

Assist students in learning the nature o f the
work performed in each position on th eir career
ladders.

81.0
(149)

10.9
(20)

8.2
(15)

50.5
(95)

34.6
(65)

14.9
(28)

15.

Locate and identify potential job placements
for students.

31.0

1.6

67.4

10.6
(20)

9.0
(17)

80.3
(151)

8.

Inform students (by any method) what a typical
working day is lik e and type of work environ­
ment in office occupations

9.

TABLE 14.—Continued.

Kinds o f Information and S kills

Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

A*

B

C

A

B

C

67.4
(124)

19.0
(35)

13.6
(25)

33.0
(62)

54.8
(103)

12.2
(23)

17. Inform students how to identify sources for
obtaining names and addresses of prospective
employers locally.

59.8
(n o )

7.1
(13)

33.2
(61)

31.4
(50)

22.3
(42)

46.3
(87)

18. Teach and require students to prepare a resume
or data sheet.

94.6
(174)

.5
(1)

4.9
(9)

76.1
(143)

8.5
(16)

15.4
(29)

19. Identify and record information concerning each
student's s k ills and employment or educational
objective in order to make referrals to
employers or another counselor.

69.6
(128)

6.0
(ID

24.5
(45)

41.0
(77)

22.9
(43)

36.2
(68)

20. Provide actual samples of employment applications
and require the student to complete an application.

91.3
(168)

.5
(1)

8.2
(15)

72.9
(137)

6.9
(13)

20.2
(38)

21. Assist students in evaluating th e ir own job
qualifications in lig h t o f employer requirements.

80.4
(148)

5.4
(10)

14.1
(26)

50.5
(95)

25.5
(48)

23.9
(45)

22. Inform students of standards of dress, grooming,
and hygiene in the work setting.

91.8
(169)

1.6
(3)

6.5
(12)

66.5
(125)

20.7
(39)

12.8
(24)

23. Teach students how to identify and seek appro­
priate individuals to serve as references.

87
(160)

4.3
(8)

8.7
(16)

62.6
(117)

21.8
(41)

16
(30)

16.

Inform students of educational requirements and/or
experience necessary to advance to other positions
on th e ir career ladders.

TABLE 14.--Continued.
Kinds of Information and S kills

Vocational Business
Teachers
B

24.

Teach students how to w rite a le tte r of application
in response to an actual vacancy.

25.

Guidance Counselors

C

A

B

92.9
(171)

1.1
(2)

6.0
01)

79.3
(149)

5.9
(ID

14.9
(28)

Provide a central place for bringing together
general employer information.

25
(46)

10.9
(20)

64.1
(118)

13.3
(25)

16.0
(30)

70.7
(133)

26.

Inform students of differences between secondary,
two-year and private school programs for business
jobs.

37
(68)

50.5
(93)

12.5
(23)

12.8
(24)

83
(156)

4.3
(8)

27.

Assist students in making comparisons o f types of
jobs available to students completing a two-year
and secondary business curriculum.

30.4
(56)

49.5
(91)

20.1
(37)

24.5
(46)

66.5
(125)

9
(17)

28.

Inform students o f types o f examinations which may
be given by various types of employers.

69
(127)

14.7
(27)

16.3
(30)

59
(111)

19.7
(37)

21.3
(40)

29.

Acquaint students with sources of career
information and where to locate them.

32.6
(60)

47.3
(87)

20.1
(37)

7.4
(14)

82.4
(155)

10.1
(19)

30.

Present information on the regional and national
outlook with projected openings fo r various
o ffic e occupations.

45.7
(84)

25
(46)

29.3
(54)

19.7
(37)

55.3
(104)

25
(47)

31.

Assist students in securing summer employment.

23.4
(43)

2.2
(4)

74.5
(137)

9.0
(17)

14.4
(27)

76.6
(144)

32.

Assist students in securing part-time
employment while in school.

37
(68)

1.6
(3)

61.4
(113)

12.2
(23)

13.8
(26)

73.9
(139)

TABLE 14.— Continued.
Kinds of Information and Skills

Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

A

B

C

A

B

C

33. Present information on the local job outlook with
projected openings for various office occupations.

41.8
(77)

14.1
(26)

44
(81)

30.3
(57)

23.9
(45)

45.7
(86)

34. Present information on number and distribution of
the work force in o ffic e occupations by sex, age,
education, and job t i t l e .

42.9
(79)

21.2
(39)

35.9
(66)

36.2
(68)

27.1
(51)

36.7
(69)

35.

29.9
(55)

3.3
(6)

66.8
(123)

15.4
(29)

12.2
(23)

72.3
(136)

36. Present information on new office occupations or
decline in o ffice occupations as a result o f new
technology.

63.6
(117)

12.5
(23)

23.4
(43)

54.3
(102)

19.1
(36)

26.6
(50)

37. V is it employers to keep abreast o f innovations or
changes in o ffice occupations and to revise or
update curriculum.

75
(138)

3.3
(6)

21.7
(40)

58.5
(110)

5.9
(11)

35.6
(67)

38. Arrange opportunities for students to ta lk to
recent graduates or individuals working in
o ffice occupations.

66.8
(123)

9.2
(17)

23.9
(44)

48.9
(92)

28.7
(54)

22.3
(42)

39. Inform students of approximate beginning salary
ranges and fringe benefits (sick leave, vacation,
Insurance).

69
(127)

8.2
(15)

22.8
(42)

39.4
(74)

27.1
(51)

33.5
(63)

23.4
(43)

31.5
(58)

45.1
(83)

8.5
(16)

52.7
(99)

38.8
(73)

Make referrals o f individual students to various
employers with job openings for full-time employment

40. Organize "career days" where employers discuss
local job opportunities.

TABLE 14. — Continued.

Kinds of Information and S kills

Vocational Business
Teachers

A

B

C

Guidance Counselors
A

B

C

65.2
(120)

11.4
(21)

23.4
(43)

48.9
(92)

23.4
(44)

27.7
(52)

Keep an up-to-date l i s t or posting o f current
local job openings.

25.5
(47)

4.9
(9)

69.6
(128)

8
(15)

10.6
(20)

81.4
(153)

43.

Conduct a yearly survey o f employers of
vocational office graduates to determine how the
o ffice program might be improved.

44.6
(82)

8.7
(16)

46.7
(86)

46.8
(88)

7.4
(14)

45.7
(86)

44.

Identify sources of information concerning
opportunities fo r employment, and procedures
required to u tiliz e these services.

42.9
(79)

15.8
(29)

41.3
(76)

17.0
(32)

25.5
(48)

57.4
(108)

45.

Make available to students information on what
businesses have hired former graduates and in
what types of positions.

35.9
(66)

8.7
(16)

55.4
(102)

23.4
(44)

14.9
(28)

61.7
(116)

46.

Make available specific materials or contacts
that can prepare a student with information
about an employer prior to an interview.

41.8
(77)

5.4
(10)

52.7
(97)

31.4
(59)

13.3
(25)

55.3
(104)

47.

Acquaint students with conmunity agencies
providing job placement.

47.8
(88)

10.9
(20)

41.3
(76)

21.3
(40)

27.1
(51)

51.6
(97)

41.

Help students see the relationship between size
of employer and advancement opportunities.

42.

TABLE 14.— Continued.

Kinds of Information and S kills

Vocational Business
Teachers
A

B

Guidance Counselors

C

A

B

C

48.

Describe or demonstrate the interview process
including how to arrange an interview, typical
questions asked, dress.

84.2
(155)

2.7
(5)

13
(24)

67.6
(127)

13.3
(25)

19.1
(36)

49.

Teach students how to evaluate a job o ffe r in
lig h t of th e ir own personal c rite ria (financial,
social).

77.2
(142)

9.8
(18)

13
(24)

52.1
(98)

28.2
(53)

19.1
(36)

50.

Acquaint students with general accepted
procedures fo r terminating a job including
length of notice, and request for references.

83.7
(154)

2.7
(5)

13.6
(25)

63.8
(120)

11.7
(22)

23.4
(44)

51.

Make students aware o f the need to investigate
and weigh information before making a decision.

80.4
(148)

7.1
(13)

12.5
(23)

33
(62)

54.8
(103)

10.6
(20)

104
Responsibilities of the Vocational Business Teacher.

Table

15 lis ts the resp o n sib ilities of the vocational business teacher as
perceived by 50 percent or more of the vocational business teachers.
Over 90 percent o f the vocational business teachers Indicated the
following kinds of Information and s k ills as the resp o nsib ilities
of the vocational business teacher.
18.

Teach and require students to prepare a resume or data
sheet. (94.6 percent)

24.

Teach students how to w rite a le tte r of application
1n response to an actual vacancy. (92.9 percent)

11.

Impress upon students the Importance of non-skill
q ualificatio ns of the employee such as lo yalty* honesty*
punctuality* and dependability. (92.4 percent)

8.

Inform students what a typical working day 1s lik e and
type of work environment 1n o ffic e occupations.
(92.4 percent)

6.

Present Information on various tools* machines, and
other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations. (92.4
percent)

22.

Inform students of standards of dress, grooming, and
hygiene 1n the work setting. (91.8 percent)

20.

Provide actual samples of employment applications and
require the student to complete. (91.3 percent)

Responsibilities of the Guidance Counselor.

Only one item

was designated the resp o nsib ility o f the guidance counselor by at
least 50 percent of the vocational business teachers:
26.

Inform students o f differences between secondary,
two-year and private school programs fo r business
jobs. (50.5 percent)

Responsibilities of the Placement Coordinator.

The respon­

s ib ilit ie s of the placement coordinator as perceived by 50 percent
o f more of the vocational business teachers are lis te d 1n Table 16.

105
TABLE 15.— Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities of the
Vocational Business Teacher as Perceived by Vocational
Business Teachers.
Rank
1
■ 2
4

Kinds of Information and S k ills

Percent

18. Teach and require students to prepare a resume
or data sheet.

94.6

24. Teach students how to w rite a le t t e r of appUcacation 1n response to an actual vacancy.

92.9

11. Impress upon students the Importance of nons k ill q ualificatio ns of the employee such as
lo y a lty , honesty and punctuality.

92.4

4

8. Inform students what a typical working day 1s
lik e and type o f work environment 1n o ffic e
occupations.

92.4

4

6. Present Information on various tools, machines,
and other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations.

92.4

6

22. Inform students of standards o f dress, grooming,
and hygiene 1n the work setting.

91.8

7

20. Provide actual samples of employment appUcatlons and require the student to complete.

91.3

8

23. Teach students how to id e n tify and seek approp rlate Individuals to serve as references.

87.0

9

10. Inform students of the normal working hours
fo r various o ffic e jobs.

84.8

10

48. Describe or demonstrate the Interview process
Including how to arrange an Interview , typical
questions asked, and dress.

84.2

11

50. Acquaint students with generally accepted
procedures fo r terminating a job.

83.7

12

14. Assist students In learning the nature o f the
work performed 1n each position on th e ir
career ladders.

81.0

14

4. Inform students o f the requirements o f various
o ffic e occupations.

80.4

106
TABLE 15.— Continued.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Percent

i

14

21. Assist students In evaluating th e ir own job
qualifications In lig h t o f employer require­
ments J

80.4

14

51. Make Students aware of the need to Investigate
and weigh Information before making a decision.

80.4

16

49. Teach students to evaluate a job o ffe r 1n lig h t
of th e ir own personal c r ite r ia (fin a n c ia l,
so cial).

77.2

17

13. Present Information on the typical career
1addert associated with the student's occupa­
tional area o f tra in in g .

76.1

18

37. V is it employers to keep abreast o f innovations
or changes 1n o ffic e occupations and to revise
or update curriculum.

75.0

19

19. Id e n tify and record Information concerning each
student's s k ills and employment or educational
objective 1n order to make re fe rra ls to
employers or another counselor.

69.6

21

15. Locate and Id e n tify potential job placements
fo r students.

69.0

21

28. Infomj students o f types o f examinations which
may be given by various types o f employers.

69.0

21

39. Inforn] students o f approximate beginning salary
ranges and frin ge benefits such as sick leave,
vacation, Insurance.

69.0

23

16. Infomj students o f educational requirements
and/ori experience necessary to advance to other
positions on th e ir career ladders.

67.4

24

38. Arrange opportunities fo r students to ta lk to
recent graduates or Individuals working 1n
o ffic e occupations.

66.8

25

1. Preseqt Information on types o f jobs available
to students completing a secondary vocational
o ffic e program.

66.3

107
TABLE 15.— Continued.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Percent

26

41. Help students see the relationship between
size of employer and advancement opportunities.

65.2

27

36. Present Information on new o ffic e occupations
or decline 1n o ffic e occupations as a result
o f new technology.

63.6

28

17. Inform students how to Id e n tify sources fo r
obtaining names and addresses of prospective
employers lo c a lly .

59.8

29

7. Make regular v is its to employers to update
knowledge o f job requirements and s o lic it
job vacancies.

53.3

108
TABLE 16.— Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities of the
Placement Coordinator as Perceived by Vocational
Business Teachers.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Percent

1

31. Assist students 1n securing summer employment.

74.5

2

42. Keep an up-to-date 11st or posting o f current
local job openings.

69.6

3.5

2. Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and
parents describing placement assistance
available to students.

68.5

3.5

9. Conduct surveys o f local businesses to determine
job openings.

68.5

5

12. Conduct follow-up surveys of graduates to
determine types o f employment found.

67.9

6

15. Locate and Id e n tify potential job placements
fo r students.

67.4

7

35. Make re fe rra ls o f Individual students to
various employers with job openings fo r f u l l ­
time employment.

66.8

8

25. Provide a central place fo r bringing together
general employer Information.

64.1

9

32. Assist students 1n securing part-tim e employment while In school.

61.4

10

45. Make available to students Information on what
businesses have hired graduates and 1n what
types o f positions.

55.4

11

3. Conduct Interviews with potential school
dropouts fo r placement purposes.

53.8

12

46. Make available specific materials or contacts
th at can prepare a student with Information
about an employer he/she 1s to Interview.

52.7

13

5. Acquaint employers with the type o f student
available fo r employment from the vocational
o ffic e program.

50.0

109

The top seven Items, as indicated by vocational business teachers,
were:
31.

Assist students in securing summer employment.
(74.5 percent)

42.

Keep an up-to-date 11st or posting of current local
job openings. (69.6 percent)

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide for students and parents
describing placement assistance available to students.
(68.5 percent)

9.

Conduct surveys of local businesses to determine job
openings. (68.5 percent)

12.

Conduct follow-up surveys of graduates to determine
types of employment found. (67.9 percent)

15.

Locate and id e n tify potential job placements for
students. (67.4)

35.

Make referrals of individual students to various
employers with job openings fo r fu ll-tim e employment.
(66.8 percent)

Disagreement Among Vocational Business Teachers Regarding
Assignment of Responsibilities.

The following kinds of information

and s k ills were not assigned to the vocational business teacher,
guidance counselor, or placement coordinator as each fa ile d to
receive at least 50 percent of the responses of vocational business
teachers.

The Items Indicate disagreement regarding who should be

responsible.
27.

Assist students 1n making comparisons of types of
jobs available to students completing a two-year
and secondary business curriculum.

29.

Acquaint students with sources of career Information
and where to locate them.

no
30.

Present Information on the regional and national
outlook with projected openings for various o ffic e
occupations.

33.

Present Information on the local job outlook with
projected openings fo r various o ffic e occupations.

34.

Present Information on number and d istribu tion of the
work force In o ffic e occupations by sex, age, edu­
cation* job t i t l e .

40.

Organize "career days" where employers discuss local
job opportunities.

43.

Conduct a yearly survey of employers of vocational
o ffic e graduates to determine how the o ffic e program
might be Improved.

44.

Id e n tify sources of Information concerning opportunities
fo r employment, and procedures required to u t iliz e
these services.

47.

Acquaint students with comnunity agencies providing
job placement.

Responsibilities of the Vocational Business
Teacher, Guidance Counselor, and Placement
Coordinator as Perceived by Guidance
Counselor?
Guidance counselors perceived the fifty -o n e selected Items
1n career planning and placement as prim arily the resp o nsib ilities
of the vocational business teacher and placement coordinator.
Of the fifty -o n e Items, 33 percent were designated the
resp o nsib ilities o f the vocational business teacher; 31 percent
were designated the resp o n sib ilities o f the placement coordinator;
and 16 percent were designated the resp o n sib ilities of the guidance
counselors by a t least 50 percent o f the responding guidance
counselors.

m
Responsibilities of the Guidance Counselor,

The respon­

s ib ilit ie s of the guidance counselor as Indicated by 50 percent or
more of the guidance counselors are enumerated 1n Table 17.
The following two Items received the highest percent of
response from guidance counselors:
26.

Inform students o f differences between secondary, twoyear and private school programs for business jobs.
(83 percent)

29.

Acquaint students with sources o f career Information
and where to locate them. (82.4 percent)

Responsibilities o f the Vocational Business Teacher.

The

kinds of Information and s k ills designated the resp o nsib ilities of
the vocational business teacher by guidance counselors are lis ted
1n Table 18.
Items designated the resp o nsib ilities o f the vocational
business teacher by guidance counselors received between 50 and
79 percent o f the responses.

The following kinds o f Information

and s k ills received over 70 percent of the responses:
6.

24.
8.

Present Information on various to o ls, machines and
other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations. (79.8
percent)
Teach students how to w rite a le t t e r of application 1n
response to an actual vacancy. (79.3 percent)
Inform students by any method what a typical working
day 1s lik e and type o f work environment 1n o ffic e
occupations. (76.1 percent)

18.

Teach and require students to prepare a resume or data
sheet. (76.1)

20.

Provide actual samples o f employment applications and
require the student to complete. (72.9 percent)

112

TABLE 17.— Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities of the
Guidance Counselor as Perceived by Guidance Counselors.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Percent

1

26. Inform students o f differences between
secondary, two-year and private school
programs fo r business jobs.

83.0

2

29. Acquaint students with sources of career
Information and where to locate them.

82.4

3

27. Assist students 1n making comparisons o f types
o f jobs available to students completing a
two-year and secondary business curriculum.

66.5

4

30. Present Information on the regional and
national outlook with projected openings fo r
various o ffic e occupations.

55.3

16. Inform students o f educational requirements
p rio r experience necessary to advance to
other positions on his/her career ladder.

54.8

5.5

5.5

51. Make students aware o f the need to Investigate
and weigh information before making a
decision.

54.8

7

40. Organize "career days" where employers discuss
local job opportunities.

52.7

8

4. Inform students o f the requirements of various
o ffic e occupations.

50.5

113
TABLE 18.— Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities of the
Vocational Business Teacher as Perceived by Guidance
Counselors.
Rank
1

Kinds of Information and S k ills
6. Present Information on various tools,
machines, and other materials used 1n
o ffic e occupations.

Percent
79.8

2

24. Teach students how to w rite a le t te r of
application in response to an actual vacancy.

79.3

3

8. Inform students by any methodwhat a typical
working day 1s lik e and type o f work environ­
ment In o ffic e occupations.

76.6

4

18. Teach and require students to
resume or data sheet.

prepare a

76.1

5

20. Provide actual samples o f employment appUcatlons and require the student to complete.

72.9

6

48. Describe or demonstrate the interview
process Including how to arrange an in te r ­
view, typical questions asked, dress.

67.7

7

10. Inform students o f the normal working hours
fo r various o ffic e jobs.

67.0

8

22. Inform students o f standards o f dress,
grooming, and hygiene 1n the work setting.

66.5

9

50. Acquaint students with generally accepted
procedures fo r terminating a job Including
length o f notice, request fo r references.

63.8

10

23. Teach students how to Id e n tify and seek
appropriate Individuals to serve as
references.

62.2

11

28. Inform students o f types o f examinations
which may be given by various types of
employers.

59.0

12

37. V is it employers to keep abreast of Innovations
or changes 1n o ffic e occupations and to
revise or update curriculum.

58.5

114
TABLE 18.— Continued.
Rank

Kinds o f Information and S k ills

Percent

13

11. Impress upon students the Importance o f
non-skill q u alificatio ns o f the employee
such as lo y a lty , honesty, punctuality,
dependabll1ty.

55.9

14

36. Present Information on new o ffic e occupations
or decline 1n o ffic e occupations as a resu lt
of new technology.

54.3

15

49. Teach students how to evaluate a job o ffe r
1n lig h t o f th e ir own personal c r ite r ia
(fin a n c ia l, so cial, e tc .).

52.1

16.5

14. Assist students 1n learning the nature o f the
work performed 1n each position on th e ir
career ladders.

50.5

16.5

21. Assist students In evaluating th e ir own job
q ualificatio ns 1n lig h t o f employer require­
ments.

50.5

115
Responsibilities of the Placement Coordinator.

Table 19

contains the Items designated the resp o nsib ilities o f the placement
coordinator by guidance counselors.

Sixteen Items received between

50 and 83 percent of the responses.
The following kinds of Information and s k ills received over
70 percent of the responses of guidance counselors:
9.

Conduct surveys of local businesses to determine job
openings. (83 percent)

42.

Keep an up-to-date 11st or posting o f current local
job openings. (81.4 percent)

15.

Locate and Id e n tify potential job placements for
students. (80.3 percent)

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and parents
describing placement assistance available to students.
(77.7 percent)

31.

Assist students in securing summer employment.
percent)

(76.6

32.

Assist students In securing part-tim e employment while
1n school. (73.9 percent)

35.

Make re fe rra ls of Individual students to various
employers with job openings fo r fu ll-tim e employment.
(72.3 percent)

7.

Make regular v is its to employers to update knowledge
of job requirements and s o lic it job vacancies. (71.3
percent)

25.

Provide a central place fo r bringing together general
employer Information. (70.7 percent)

Disagreement Among Guidance Counselors Regarding Assignment
o f Responsibilities.

The following items were not assigned to the

vocational business teacher, guidance counselor, or placement
coordinator by a t least 50 percent o f the guidance counselors.

116
TABLE 19.— Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities of the
Placement Coordinator as Perceived by Guidance
Counselors.
Rank
1

Kinds o f Information and S k ills
9. Conduct surveys of local businesses to
determine job openings.

Percent
83.0

2

42. Keep an up-to-date 11st or posting o f
current local job openings.

81.4

3

15. Locate and id e n tify potential job placements
fo r students.

80.3

4

2. Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and
parents describing assistance available to
students.

77.7

5

31. Assist students in securing summer employment.

76.6

6

32. Assist students 1n securing part-tim e
employment while 1n school.

73.9

7

35. Make re fe rra ls o f individual students to
various employers with job openings fo r
fu ll-tim e employment.

72.3

8

9

7. Make regular v is its to employers to update
knowledge o f job requirements and s o lic it
job vacancies.

71.3

25. Provide a central place fo r bringing together
general employer Information.

70.7

10

12. Conduct follow-up surveys of graduates to
determine types of employment found.

63.8

11

45. Make available to students Information on
what businesses have hired former graduates
and 1n what types o f positions.

61.7

12

5. Acquaint employers with the type o f student
available fo r employment from the vocational
o ffic e program.

59.6

117
TABLE 19.— Continued.
Rank

13

Kinds of Information and S k ills

44. Id e n tify sources o f Information concerning
opportunities fo r employment, and procedures
required to u t iliz e these services.

Percent

57.4

14

3. Conduct interviews with potential school
dropouts fo r placement purposes.

56.9

15

46. Make available specific materials or
contacts that can prepare a student with
Information about an employer p rio r to an
Interview.

55.3

16

47. Acquaint students with community agencies
providing job placement.

51.6

118
These Items Indicate disagreement regarding who should be
responsible.
1.

Present Information on types of jobs available to
students completing a secondary vocational o ffic e
program.

13.

Present information on the typical career ladder
associated with the student's occupational area of
train ing .

17.

Inform students how to Id e n tify sources for obtaining
names and addresses of prospective employers lo c a lly .

19.

Id e n tify and record Information concerning each
student's s k ills and employment or educational
objective 1n order to make re fe rra ls to employers
or another counselor.

33.

Present Information on the local job outlook with
projected openings fo r various o ffic e occupations.

34.

Present information on number and d istribu tion of the
work force 1n o ffic e occupations by sex, age, educa­
tio n , and job t i t l e .

38.

Arrange opportunities fo r students to ta lk to recent
graduates or Individuals working 1n o ffic e occupations.

39.

Inform students of approximate beginning salary ranges
and fringe benefits such as sick leave, vacation, and
Insurance.

41.

Help students see the relatlonahlp between size o f
employer and advancement opportunities.

43.

Conduct a yearly survey o f employers of vocational
o ffic e graduates to determine how the o ffic e program
might be Improved.

Agreement Between Vocational Business
Teachers and Guidance Counselors
Regarding Assignment of^
Responsibilities
A chi-square tes t o f homogeneity was calculated fo r each of
the fifty -o n e items to determine 1f vocational business teachers

119
and guidance counselors agreed on the assignment of the Items.
Table 20 shows that 38 or 74.5 percent of the fifty -o n e Items were
found to be sig n ifican t a t the .001 level Indicating no sig n ifica n t
agreement between vocational business teachers and guidance coun­
selors In assignment of the fifty -o n e items.
The following 13 Items (25 percent) were not found to be
sig nificant at the .001 level Indicating agreement or sim ilar dis­
trib u tio n patterns between vocational business teachers and guid­
ance counselors In assignment of the Items;
2.

Prepare a handbook or guide for students and parents
describing placement assistance available to students.

3.

Conduct Interviews with potential school dropouts for
placement purposes.

6.

Present information on various tools, machines, and
other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations.

25.

Provide a central place fo r bringing together general
employer Information.

28.

Inform students o f types of examinations which may be
given by various types o f employers.

33.

Present Information on the local job outlook with
projected openings fo r various o ffic e occupations.

34.

Present information on number and d istribu tion of the
work force 1n o ffic e occupations by sex, age, education,
and job t i t l e .

36,

Present information on new o ffic e occupations or de­
clin e 1n o ffic e occupations as a resu lt o f new tech­
nology.

37.

V is it employers to keep abreast of Innovations or
changes 1n o ffic e occupations and to revise or update
curriculum.

41.

Help students see the relationship between size of
employer and advancement opportunities.

TABLE 2 0 .--Results of Chi-Square Test of Homogeneity to Determine Agreement Between Guidance
Counselors and Vocational Business Teachers Regarding Kinds of Information and S kills
to be Provided by the Vocational Business Teacher* Guidance Counselor and Placement
Coordinator.
Kinds of Information and Skills

ChiSquare

Sign.
Level*

1.

Present information on types of jobs available to students completing a
secondary vocational office program.

28.99

.000*

2.

Prepare a handbook or guide for students and parents describing placement
assistance available to students.

10.94

.004

3.

Conduct interviews with potential school dropouts for placement purposes.

8.58

.014

4.

Inform students of the requirements of various office occupations.

38.50

.000*

5.

Acquaint employers with the type of student available for employment
from the vocational office program.

17.99

.000*

6.

Present information on various tools, machines, and other materials used
in office occupations.

11.77

.003

7.

Hake regular v is its to employers to update knowledge of job requirements
and s o lic it job vacancies.

32.76

.000*

8.

Inform students by any method what a typical working day is lik e and type
of work environment in office occupations.

23.71

.000*

9.

Conduct survey of local businesses to determine job openings.

13.36

.001*

*The Chi-square test is significant at .001 lev el, and has 2 degrees of freedom.

TABLE 20.— Continued.
Kinds of Information and Skills

ChiSquare

Sign.
Level1

10.

Inform students of the normal working hours for various office jobs.

19.39

.000*

n.

Impress upon students the importance of non-skill qualifications of the
such as loyalty, honesty, punctuality, dependability.

67.27

.000*

12.

Conduct follow-up surveys of graduates to determine types of employment
found.

22.12

.000*

13.

Present information on the typical career ladder associated with the
student's occupational area of training.

57.20

.000*

14.

Assist students in learning the nature of the work performed in each
position on th eir career ladders.

40.38

.000

15.

Locate and identify potential job placements fo r students.

30.38

.000*

16.

Inform students of educational requirements and/or experience necessary
to advance to other positions on th eir career ladders.

54.15

.000*

17.

Inform students how to identify sources for obtaining names and addresses
of prospective employers locally.

34.68

.000*

18.

Teach and require students to prepare a resume or data sheet.

26.55

.000*

19.

Identify and record information concerning each student's s k ills and
employment or educational objective in order to make referrals to
employers or another counselor.

36.73

.000*

TABLE 20.--Continued.
Kinds of Information and S kills

ChiSquare

Sign.
Level*

20.

Provide actual samples of employment applications and require the students
to complete.

24.45

.000*

21.

Assist students in evaluating th eir own job qualifications in lig h t of
employer requirements.

42.11

.000*

22.

Inform students of standards o f dress, grooming, and hygiene in the work
setting.

41.11

.000*

23.

Teach students how to identify and seek appropriate individuals to serve
as references.

32.82

.000*

24.

Teach students how to write a le tte r of application in response to an
actual vacancy.

14.96

.001*

25.

Provide a central place fo r bringing together general employer information.

9.17

.010

26.

Inform students o f differences between secondary, two-year and private
school programs for business jobs.

43.46

.000*

27.

Assist students in making comparisons o f types o f jobs available to
students completing a two-year and secondary business curriculum.

13.08

.001*

28.

Inform students of types of examinations which may be given by various
types o f employers.

3.87

.144

29.

Acquaint students with sources of career information and where to locate them.

52.90

.000*

TABLE 20.— Continued.
Kinds o f Information and Skills

ChiSquare

Sign.
LeveV

30.

Present information on the regional and national outlook with projected
openings for various o ffice occupations.

40.98

.000*

31.

Assist students in securing simmer employment.

28.50

.000*

32.

Assist students in securing part-time employment while in school.

43.34

.000*

33.

Present information on the local job outlook with projected openings for
various o ffice occupations.

8.22

.016

34.

Present information on number and distribution of the work force in office
occupations by sex, age, education, job t i t l e .

2.48

.290

35.

Make referrals of individual students to various employers with job
openings fo r fu ll-tim e employment.

18.71

.000*

36.

Present information on new o ffice occupations or decline in office
occupations as a result of new technology.

4.49

.106

37.

V is it employers to keep abreast of innovations or changes in office
occupations and to revise or update curriculum.

11.96

.003

38.

Arrange opportunities for students to ta lk to recent graduates or
individuals working in office occupations.

23.70

.000*

39.

Inform students of approximate beginning salary ranges and fringe benefits
(sick leave, vacation, Insurance).

38.20

.000*

40.

Organize "career days" where employers discuss local job opportunities.

23.52

.000*

TABLE 20.— Continued.
Kinds of Information and Skills

ChiSquare

Sign.
Level*

41.

Help students see the relationship between size of employer and advancement
opportunities.

12.84

.002

42.

Keep an up-to-date l i s t or posting of current local job openings.

23.04

.000*

43.

Conduct a yearly survey of employers of vocational office graduates to
determine how the office program might be improved.

44.

Identify sources of information concerning opportunities fo r employment
and procedures required to u tiliz e these services.

45.

.28

.868

30.48

.000*

Make available to students information on what businesses have hired former
graduates and in what types of positions.

8.64

.013

46.

Make available specific materials or contacts that can prepare a student with
information about an employer prior to an interview.

9.07

.011

47.

Acquaint students with community agencies providing job placement.

34.29

.000*

48.

Describe or demonstrate the interview process including how to arrange an
interview, typical questions asked, and dress.

18.26

.000*

49.

Teach students how to evaluate a job o ffer in lig h t of th e ir own personal
c rite ria (financial, social).

28.14

.000*

50.

Acquaint students with generally accepted procedures fo r terminating a job
including length of notice, and request for references.

20.78

.000*

51.

Make students aware of the need to investigate and weigh information before
making a decision.

105.13

.000*

125
43.

Conduct a yearly survey of employers of vocational
o ffic e graduates to determine how the o ffic e program
might be Improved.

45.

Make available to students Information on what busi­
nesses have hired former graduates and 1n what types
of positions.

46.

Make available specific materials or contacts that can
prepare a student with Information about an employer
p rio r to an Interview.

As Indicated e a r lie r , resp o n sib ilities were assigned
to the vocational business teacher, guidance counselor, and
placement coordinator when Indicated by a t least 50 percent o f the
respondents.

Although Items 33, 34, and 43 were not found to be

s ig n ifica n t a t the .001 le v e l, they were not assigned by vocational
business teachers or guidance counselors.

Thus, these three Items

actu a lly Indicate disagreement among both groups rather than
agreement 1n assignment.
Overall
Review of the Opinions of Vocational
Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors
Regarding Assignment of Responsibilities
Vocational business teachers perceived the fifty -o n e Items
1n career planning and placement as prim arily divided between
themselves and a placement coordinator.

Of the fifty -o n e Items,

57 percent were perceived to be the resp o n sib ilities of the voca­
tional business teacher; 25 percent were perceived to be the
respo nsib ilities of the placement coordinator; and only two percent
were precelved to be the resp o nsib ilities of the guidance counselor
by a t least 50 percent of the vocational business teachers.

126
Guidance counselors precelved the fifty -o n e Items 1n career
planning and placement as prim arily the responsibilities of the
vocational business teacher and placement coordinator.

Of the

fifty -o n e Items, 33 percent were designated the responsibilities
of the vocational business teacher, 31 percent were designated the
respo nsib ilities of the placement coordinator; and only 16 percent
were designated the resp o nsib ilities of the guidance counselor by
a t least 50 percent of the guidance counselors.
Responsibilities of the Vocational Business Teacher.

Items

assigned to the vocational business teacher received between 50 and
95 percent of the responses of vocational business teachers and
between 50 and 80 percent o f the responses of guidance counselors.
Vocational business teachers assigned 29 Items and guidance
counselors assigned 17 Items as resp o nsib ilities o f the vocational
business teacher.

Sixteen items were assigned to the vocational

business teacher by both groups—6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 18, 20, 21, 22,
23, 24, 36, 37, 48, 49, and 50.

Nine o f the top ten ranked items

assigned by both groups were identical as shown 1n Tables 15 and 18.
The kinds of Information and s k ills designated the respon­
s ib ilit ie s of the vocational business teacher by both groups were
generally self-placement s k ills .
Item 18—"Teach and require students to prepare a resume or
data sheet"—received the highest percent of response from voca­
tional business teachers.

Item 6—"Present information on various

tools, machines, and other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations"—
received the highest percent of response from guidance counselors.

127
Both vocational business teachers and guidance counselors gave the
highest percent of response to Item 24—"Teach students how to
w rite a le t te r of application In response to an actual vacancy."
Responsibilities of the Guidance Counselor.

Items desig­

nated the resp o n sib ilities of the guidance counselor received
between 50 and 83 percent o f the responses o f guidance counselors.
Eight of the fifty -o n e Items were assigned to the guidance coun­
selor by guidance counselors; while vocational business teachers
assigned only one of the fifty -o n e Items to the guidance counselor.
Item 26—"Inform students of differences between secondary,
two-year and private school programs fo r business jobs"—received
the highest percent o f response from guidance counselors.

Item

26 was also the only item designated the responsibility of the
guidance counselor by at least 50 percent o f the vocational busi­
ness teachers.
Responsibilities of the Placement Coordinator.

Items

assigned to the placement coordinator by vocational business
teachers received between 50 and 75 percent of the responses;
Items assigned to the placement coordinator by guidance counselors
received between 50 and 83 percent o f the responses.
Vocational business teachers assigned th irteen items and
guidance counselors assigned sixteen Items as resp o n s ib ilities of
the placement coordinator.

The Items assigned by both groups were

Identical except fo r four Items—7, 31, 44, and 47.
16 and 19.)

(See Tables

The kinds o f Information and s k ills assigned to the

placement coordinator by both groups were placement a c tiv itie s .

128
Item 9— "Conduct surveys o f local businesses to determine job
openings" received the highest percent o f response from guidance
counselors.

The Item receiving the highest percent of response

from vocational business teachers was Item 31—"Assist students In
securing summer employment."

Item 42—"Keep an up-to-date 11st or

posting of current, local job openings"—received the highest
percent o f response from both vocational business teachers and
guidance counselors.
Disagreement Regarding Assignment of R esponsibilities.
Vocational business teachers were divided 1n th e ir opinions
regarding who should be responsible fo r providing Items 27, 29, 30,
33, 34, 40, 43, 44, and 47.

These Items were not assigned to the

vocational business teacher, guidance counselor or placement
coordinator by a t least 50 percent o f the responses o f vocational
business teachers.
Guidance counselors were divided In th e ir opinions
regarding who should be responsible fo r Items 1, 13, 17, 19, 33,
34, 38, 39, 41, and 43.

F ifty percent or more of the guidance

counselors fa ile d to assign these Items to the vocational business
teacher, guidance counselor or placement coordinator.
Application of a ch1 square test of homogeneity revealed
that vocational business teachers and guidance counselors did not
agree a t the .001 level o f significance on who should be respon­
sib le fo r providing 38 or 74.5 percent o f the 51 kinds of In fo r­
mation and s k ills .

Vocational business teachers and guidance coun­

selors agreed on the assignment o f only ten Items—2, 3, 6, 25, 28,
36, 37, 41, 45, and 46.

129

Opinions of Vocational Business Teachers
and Guidance Counselors Regarding Type
of Current Placement A c tiv ity
1n the School
Guidance counselors and vocational business teachers were
asked to Indicate the description which best described the current
type of job placement In th e ir schools.
As shown 1n Table 21, the largest percentage, 49.7 percent,
of both guidance counselors and vocational business teachers
described job placement at th e ir school as "mostly an Informal
service where teachers, coop coordinators and; guidance counselors
help place students."
Individual a t School Responsible fo r
Job Placement on Oav-to-bZv Basis
Respondents were asked to Indicate whether there was an
Individual a t th e ir school designated with the responsibility fo r
job placement on a day-to-day basis.
"no". 47.3 percent responded "yes".

Over 50 percent responded
Table 22 displays the

relevant data.
Those who responded yes were asked to w rite 1n the t i t l e
of the Individual responsible fo r job placement.

Approximately

44 percent Indicated placement coordinator*, 33 percent Indicated
coop coordinator; 11.3 percent Indicated guidance counselor; and
10.4 percent Indicated other t i t l e .

Table 23 lis ts the t it le s given

of individuals responsible fo r job placement.

TABLE 21.—Description of Job Placement at Individual School as Indicated by 369
Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors.
Description of Job Placement

Number

Percent

mostly a fu ll-tim e formal service with a fu ll-tim e placement
coordinator.

69

18.5

mostly a part-time formal service with a part-time placement
coordinator.

45

12.1

mostly an Informal service where teachers, coop coordinators,
and guidance counselors help place students.

185

49.7

a l i t t l e o f both (b) and (c ).

42

11.3

my school does not provide job placement assistance.

28

7.5

131

TABLE 22.— Individual a t School Designated S p ecifically
Responsible fo r Job Placement on a Day-to-Day Basis
as Indicated by 372 Vocational Business Teachers and
Guidance Counselors.
Response

Number

Percent

Yes

176

47.3

No

190

51.1

6

1.6

372

100.0

Don't Know
TOTAL

TABLE 23.--T itle s of Individuals at School Designated Specifically Responsible fo r Job
Placement on a Day-to-Day Basis as Indicated by Vocational Business Teachers
and Guidance Counselors.
T itle s

Number

Percent

Placement Coordinator/Counselor

78

44.3

Coop Coordinator

58

33

Guidance Counselor

20

11.3

Work Experience Coordinator

7

3.9

Youth Employment Counselor

4

2.3

Vocational Counselor/Specialist/Director

4

2.3

Career Education Specialist

2

1.1

Occupational Specialist

1

.6

Exploration Site Specialist

1

.6

Career Planning and Placement Specialist

1

.6

176

100.0

TOTAL

133

Respondents1 Opinions Regarding the Need
fo r a Placement Coordinator
Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors were
asked the question* "Do you feel there Is a need fo r a placement
coordinator a t your school?"
Approximately 79 percent o f the vocational business
teachers responded "yes".

Forty-two percent responded "Yes— part-

time" and 27 percent responded "Yes— fu ll-tim e " .

Eighty-seven

percent of the guidance counselors responsed "yes" to th is question.
Approximately 47 percent responded "Yes—part-tim e" and 39.9 percent
responded "Yes—fu ll-tim e " .

Only 20.1 percent of the vocational

business teachers and 12.2 percent o f the guidance counselors
responded "no" to the need fo r a placement coordinator.

Table 24

shows the relevant data.
An attempt was made to determine 1f vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors who responded "No" to the need fo r
a placement coordinator were more Involved 1n career planning and
placement than those who responded "Yes".

Table 25 shows the

mean Involvement scores and standard deviations fo r vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors according to th e ir "Yes"
and "No" responses to the need fo r a placement coordinator.
The following three null hypotheses were tested to deter­
mine 1 f there were s ig n ifica n t differences 1n the mean Involvement
scores o f vocational business teachers and guidance counselors when
grouped according to th e ir responses to the need fo r a placement
coordinator.

TABLE 24.--Need for a Placement Coordinator as Expressed by Vocational Business Teachers
and Guidance Counselors.
Question:

Type of Respondent

Number
Responding
to Survey

Yes
----------------------------------------------------------Part-time
Full-time
Number

Percent

41.8

Vocational Business Teachers

182

77

Guidance Counselors

187

89

369

166

TOTAL

Do you feel there is a need fo r a
placement coordinator at your school?

Number Percent

No

Number Percent

68

37.0

37

20.1

47.3

75

39.9

23

12.2

44.6

143

38.4

60

16.1

TABLE 25.—Involvement in Career Planning and Placement of Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance
Counselors Grouped According to Responses Regarding the Need for a Placement Coordinator.
Response to the
Following Question
Do You Feel There is
a Need for a
Placement Coordinator
at Your School?

Involvement in Career Planning and Placement
Number
Responding
to Survey

Vocational Business
Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Number

Mean

Standard
Deviation

Number

Mean

Standard
Deviation

Yes

309

145

2.67

.55

164

2.27

.64

No

60

37

2.76

.44

23

2.36

.53

u>
tn

136
Hypothesis Five
There 1s no difference between vocational business teachers
and guidance counselors regarding th e ir Involvement in
career planning and placement 1n relationship to th e ir
responses regarding the need fo r a placement coordinator.
Hypothesis Six
There 1s no difference 1n the extent o f involvement 1n
career planning and placement between those guidance coun­
selors who Indicate a need fo r a placement coordinator
and those guidance counselors who Indicate there 1s no need.
Hypothesis Seven
There is no difference 1n the extent of Involvement 1n
career planning and placement between those vocational
business teachers who Indicate a need fo r a placement
coordinator and those vocational business teachers who
Indicate there Is no need.
Hypothesis Five was tested f i r s t by a two-way analysis of
variance to determine whether the between-groups variance was
s ig n ific a n tly greater than the wlthin-groups variance.
way analysis o f variance had two factors:

The two-

(1) type of response

(yes/no) and (2) type of respondent (vocational business teachers
and guidance counselors).

The dependent variables were the mean

Involvement scores for each group.

As show 1n Table 26, the two-

way analysis o f variance tes t fo r Hypothesis Five revealed that the
Interaction o f vocational business teachers and guidance counselors
and th e ir yes/no responses to the need fo r a placement coordinator
has the p robability of .966 which was not sig n ifican t a t the .001
le v e l.

Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected.
I f the Interaction of vocational business teachers and

guidance counselors and th e ir yes/no responses had yielded a
s ig n ifica n t F r a t io 1n Hypothesis Five, the null would have been

TABLE 26.--Result of Two-Way Analysis o f Variance to Determine Interaction Effects Between
Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors According to Their Responses
Regarding the Need fo r a Placement Coordinator.
Source of Variation

Factor 1:

Type of Respondent—Vocational Business
Teachers and Guidance Counselors

Factor 2:

Need for a Placement CoordinatorYes and No Responses

D.F.

Factor 1 by Factor 2
Error

365

*

The test is significant a t .001 level.

Sum of
Squares

F-Value

Sign.
Level

14.834

43.845

. 001’

.367

1.085

.298

.001

.002

.966

123.485

138

rejected; and computation of t-te s ts fo r Hypotheses Six and Seven
would have been calculated.

However* since the two-way analysis of

variance yielded a non-significant F ra tio , computation of t-te s ts
in Hypotheses Six and Seven was unnecessary because any differences
found would not be meaningful.

Therefore, Hypotheses Six and

Seven also cannot be rejected.
I t can be concluded that there 1s no difference in the
involvement in career planning and placement between vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors who responded "no" to the
need fo r a placement coordinator 1n the school and those who
responded "yes."
Responsibility fo r Career Planning
and Placement of Vocationaf
O ffice Students
Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors were
asked, "Who should have the primary resp o nsib ility for career
planning and placement of vocational o ffic e students?"
Table 27 shows that the m ajority o f vocational business
teachers and guidance counselors believed career planning and place­
ment o f vocational o ffic e students should be a jo in t resp o nsib ility.
Of the 188 guidance counselors who responded, 16.5 percent Indicated
jo in t responsibility between the guidance counselor and the voca­
tional business teacher; 13.3 percent indicated jo in t responsibility
between the vocational business teacher and placement corrdinator;
and 32.4 percent Indicated jo in t resp o n sib ility between the guidance
counselor, vocational business teacher, and placement coordinator.

TABLE 27.~Person(s) Who Should Have Primary Responsibility for Career Planning and Placement of
Vocational Office Students as Expressed by 182 Vocational Business Teachers and 188
Guidance Counselors.

Person(s) Mid Should Be Responsible

Vocational
Business Teachers

Guidance Counselors

Total

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

1

.5

4

2.1

5

1.3

The vocational office teacher and/or
and/or coop coordinator

37

20.1

29

15.4

66

17.7

Placement Coordinator

29

15.8

38

20.2

67

18.0

Joint e ffo rt of guidance counselor
and vocational o ffice teacher/
coordinator

28

15.2

31

16.5

59

15.9

Joint e ffo rt of vocational office
teacher/coordinator and
placement coordinator

19.6

25

13.3

61

16.4

Joint e ffo rt of guidance counselor,
vocational office teacher/
coordinator and placement
coordinator

27.7

61

32.4

112

30.1

The student's guidance counselor

140

Of the 183 vocational business teachers who responded,
15.2 percent indicated jo in t responsibility between the guidance counselor and vocational business teacher; 19.6 percent indicated
jo in t responsibility between the vocational business teacher and
placement coordinator; and 27.7 percent Indicated jo in t responsi­
b i l i t y between the guidance counselor, vocational business teacher,
and placement coordinator.

CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Assisting youth 1n the transition from school to work 1s
considered one o f the most c r itic a l problems facing education
today.

The Increasing complexity o f the work world coupled with

the high level o f youth unemployment has drawn p articu lar attention
to job placement assistance for students 1n the school.

The

Career Education Movement o f the 1970s has been prim arily respon­
sib le for the current focus on career planning and placement a t
the secondary le v e l.
The problem o f this study was to determine the nature and
extent of the involvement of vocational business teachers and
guidance counselors 1n providing specific kinds o f information
and s k ills 1n career planning and placement, and to ascertain
th e ir opinions regarding the career planning and placement
respo nsib ilities o f the vocational business teacher, guidance
counselor, and placement coordinator.
A questionnaire was developed using Information 1n the
lite ra tu re relating to career development, vocational guidance,
occupational Information, and placement.

The questionnaire was

validated by a ju ry panel and pretested 1n a p ilo t study Involving
vocational business teachers and guidance counselors.
141

142

The population of the study consisted of a ll vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors 1n secondary schools 1n
the State of Michigan operating a state-approved Cooperative Office
Education program during the 1976-77 school year.

Schools were

grouped according to enrollment size, and a dlsproportlonal random
sample of schools was drawn.

A maximum o f three guidance coun­

selors chosen at random, and a ll vocational business teachers 1n
the sample schools were surveyed.
Usable questionnaires were returned from 371 or 62.4
percent of the 595 vocational business teachers and guidance coun­
selors 1n the sample schools.

Participants 1n the study Included

188 guidance counselors and 183 vocational business teachers.
Findings
The findings o f this study are reported 1n two major cate­
gories:

(1) Involvement of Vocational Business Teachers and

Guidance Counselors 1n Career Planning and Placement and (2)
Oppinlons of Vocational Business Teachers and Guidance Counselors
Regarding the Career Planning and Placement Responsibilities of
the Vocational Business Teacher, Guidance Counselor and Placement
Coordinator.
Involvement of Vocational Business
Teachers and Guidance Counselors
In Career Planning andPlacement
1.

The mean Involvement scores o f the fifty -o n e Items

1n career planning and placement fo r vocational business teachers
ranged from a low of 1.6 to a high of 3.5.

Fifteen Items, or

143

29 percent, received mean Involvement scores of 3.0 and above;
19 Items, or 37 percent, received mean involvement scores of 2.5
and below.
A rank order of the mean Involvement scores indicated that
the kinds of information and s k ills provided most frequently by
vocational business teachers were self-placement s k ills .

The top

ranked Items concerned resume preparation and le tte rs of applica­
tio n , standards of dress and grooming In the work se ttin g , non-skill
qualifications of the employee, seeking references, employment
applications, and the interview process.

"Teach and require stu­

dents to prepare a resume or data sheet" received the highest mean
Involvement score from vocational business teachers.
The kinds of Information and s k ills receiving the lowest
mean scores were placement a c tiv itie s .

These items dealt prim arily

with preparing a handbook, organizing career days, conducting
yearly survey o f employers of vocational o ffic e graduates, Informing
students of businesses that have hired former students, conducting
surveys o f local businesses and follow-up surveys of graduates, and
keeping a l i s t o f current local job openings.

"Conduct Interviews

with potential school dropouts fo r placement purposes" received the
lowest mean Involvement score from vocational business teachers.
2.

The mean Involvement scores o f the 51 Items in career

planning and placement fo r guidance counselors ranged from a low
o f 1.7 to a high o f 3.3.

Three Items, or 6 percent received mean

Involvement scores of 3.0 and above; 40 Items, or 78 percent,
received mean Involvement scores o f 2.5 and below.

144

A rank order o f the mean Involvement scores of guidance
counselors Indicated the kltids o f Information and s k ills provided
most frequently.

The top ranked Items were generally career In fo r­

mation Items concerned with acquainting students with sources of
career Information, differences between secondary and two-year
business programs, types of jobs available to students completing
secondary and two-year business programs, educational requirements
In re latio n to career ladder, career decision-making, and require­
ments o f various o ffic e occupations.

"Acquaint students with

sources of career Information and where to locate them" received
the highest mean Involvement score from guidance counselors.
Guidance counselors gave the lowest mean Involvement scores
to placement a c tiv itie s dealing prim arily with preparing placement
handbook, surveying local businesses and employers of vocational
o ffic e graduates, presenting Information on what businesses have
hired former graduates, employer lite r a tu r e .
the lowest mean Involvement scores were:

The Items receiving

"Conduct a yearly survey

of employers of vocational o ffic e graduates to determine how the
o ffic e program might be Improved" and "Prepare a handbook or guide
fo r students and parents describing placement assistance available
to students."
Results of Hypotheses Tested.

In order to determine the

kinds o f information and s k ills various groups of respondents were
Involved 1n providing, Items were grouped Into three categories:
career Information, self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .
The m u ltivariate F -test revealed that s ig n ifica n t differences

145
existed a t .001 level between a ll groups of respondents 1n the
extent of th e ir Involvement 1n career planning and placement.

Post

hoc t-te s ts revealed the specific categories of Items 1n which
sig n ifica n t differences existed between the groups of respondents
at .001 level o f significance.
1.

I t was found that vocational business teachers were

moreInvolved than

guidance counselors 1n providing career In fo r­

mation, self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

The mean

Involvement scores of vocational business teachers 1n providing
career Information, self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s
were 2.77, 3.13, and 2.34 respectively; while the mean involvement
scores of guidance counselors were 2.42, 2.41, and 2.09.
2.

At the .001 level

o f significance. I t appeared that

teacher/coordinators were more Involved than teachers 1n providing
placement a c tiv itie s .

The mean Involvement score o f teacher/

coordinators In placement a c tiv itie s was 2.71; while the mean
Involvement score of teachers was 2.03.

No sig n ifica n t differences

were found between teachers and teacher/coordinators 1n th e ir
involvement 1n providing career information and self-placement
s k ills .
3.

Teachers appeared to be more Involved than guidance

counselors 1n providing career Information and self-placement
s k ills .

The mean Involvement scores o f teachers 1n providing

career Information and self-placement s k ills were 2.70 and 3.05
respectively; while the mean involvement scores o f guidance coun­
selors were 2.41 and 2.42.

No sig n ifica n t difference was found

146

between teachers and guidance counselors 1n th e ir Involvement 1n
placement a c tiv itie s .
4.

I t was determined that teacher/coordinators were more

Involved than guidance counselors 1n providing career information,
self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s .

The mean Involve­

ment scores of vocational business teachers In providing career
Information, self-placement s k ills , and placement a c tiv itie s were
2.77, 3.13, and 2.34 respectively; while the mean Involvement
scores of guidance counselors were 2.42, 2.41, and 2.09.
Opinions o f Vocational Business Teachers
and Guidance Counselors Regarding tfie
Career Manning and Placement Respon­
s ib ilit ie s of the Vocational Business
Teacher, Guidance Counselor, and
Placement Coordinator
1.

Vocational business teachers perceived the fifty -o n e

items 1n career planning and placement as prim arily divided between
between themselves and a placement coordinator.

Fifty-seven

percent were perceived to be the resp o nsib ilities o f the vocational
business teacher; 25 percent were perceived to be the resp o nsib ili­
tie s of

a placement coordinator; and two percent were perceived

to be the resp o n sib ilities o f the guidance counselor, by a t least
50 percent o f the vocational business teachers.
2.

Guidance counselors divided the m ajority o f the

Items 1n career planning and placement between the vocational
business teacher and placement coordinator.

T h irty-three percent

were designated the resp o nsib ilities o f the vocational business

147

teacher; 31 percent were designated the resp o nsib ilities of the
placement coordinator; and 16 percent were designated the responsi­
b ilit ie s of the guidance counselor by at least 50 percent o f the
guidance counselors.
3.

Responsibilities o f the Vocational Business Teacher.

Items assigned to the vocational business teacher received between
50 and 95 percent o f the responses o f vocational business teachers
and between 50 and 80 percent of the responses o f guidance
counselors.

Vocational business teachers assigned 29 and guidance

counselors assigned 17 o f the 51 Items to the vocational business
teacher.
Sixteen Items were assigned to the vocational business
teacher by both groups—6, 8. 10. 11, 14, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,
36, 37, 48, 49, and 50.
The kinds of Information and s k ills designated the respon­
s ib ilit ie s of the vocational business teacher by vocational busi­
ness teachers and guidance counselors were generally self-placement
s k ills .
(a) "Teach and require students to prepare a resume or
data sheet" received the highest percent of response from voca­
tional business teachers.
(b) "Present Information on various tools, machines, and
other materials used 1n o ffic e occupations" received the highest
percent o f response from guidance counselors.

148
(c) "Teach students how to w rite a le tte r of application 1n
response to an actual vacancy" received the highest percent of
response from vocational business teachers and guidance counselors.
4.

Responsibilities of the Guidance Counselor.

Items

designated the responsibilities of the guidance counselor received
between 50 and 83 percent of the responses of guidance counslors.
Eight of the fifty -o n e Items were perceived to be the resp o nsib ilities
of the guidance counselor by guidance counselors; while vocational
business teachers perceived only one of the fifty -o n e Items to be
the responsibility o f the guidance counselor.

"Inform students of

the differences between secondary, two-year and private school
programs fo r business Jobs" received the highest percent of responses
o f vocational business teachers and guidance counselors.
5.

Responsibilities of the Placement Coordinator.

Items

assigned to the placement coordinator by vocational business
teachers received between 50 and 75 percent o f the responses;
Items assigned to the placement coordinator by guidance counselors
received between 50 and 83 percent of the responses.

Th1reteen

Items were assigned by vocational business teachers and sixteen
items were assigned by guidance counselors.

The kinds o f Information

and the s k ills assigned were placement a c tiv itie s .

Items assigned

by both groups were the same except fo r Items 7 , 31, 44, and 47.

149

(a) "Conduct surveys of local businesses to determine job
openings" received the highest percent of response from guidance
counselors.
(b) The Item receiving the highest percent o f response from
vocational business teachers was "Assist students in securing
summer employment."
(c) "Keep an up-to-date l i s t or posting of current local
job openings" was assigned to the placement coordinator by the
highest percent of response o f vocational business teachers and
guidance counselors.
6.

Disagreement Regarding Assignment of R esponsibilities.

Vocational business teachers were divided 1n th e ir opinions
regarding who should be responsible fo r Items 27* 29* 33, 34, 40,
43, 44, and 47.

These Items dealt prim arily with the job outlook,

types of jobs av ailab le, organizing "career days", sources of
career Information and community agencies providing job placement.
Guidance counselors were divided In th e ir opinions
regarding who should be responsible fo r Items 1, 13, 17, 19, 33,
34, 38, 39, 41.

These items dealt prim arily with Identifying types

of job availab le, student career ladders, sources o f prospective
employers, job outlook, beginning salary ranges, and recording each
student's career objective and s k ills .
A chi square tes t o f homogeneity revealed that vocational
business teachers and guidance counselors did not agree a t the
.001 level o f significance on who should be responsible fo r
providing 38 or 74.5 percent.of the 51 items.

150
7.

Agreement Regarding Assignment of R esponsibilities.

The ch1 square te s t o f homogeneity revealed that vocational busi­
ness teachers and guidance counselors were In agreement regarding
who should be responsible fo r Items 2, 3* 6* 25, 28, 36, 41, 45,
and 46.

These Items concerned preparing a placement handbook,

Interviewing school dropouts for placement, providing a central
place fo r employer Information, keeping abreast of changes 1n
o ffic e occupations and Identifying fo r students employers of
recent graduates.
8.

Over 49 percent o f the vocational business teachers

and guidance counselors described job placement a t th e ir school
as "mostly an Informal service where teachers, coop coordinators
and guidance counselors help place students."
9.

Over 50 percent o f the respondents Indicated there was

no one a t th e ir school designated with the resp o nsib ility fo r job
placement on a day-to-day basis.
10.

Of those respondents Indicating there was an Individual

at th e ir school responsible for placement on a day-to-day basis,
44.3 percent indicated the Individual was a coop coordinator or
guidance counselor; 44.3 percent Indicated a placement coordinator;
and 11.4 percent indicated other t i t l e s .
11.

The m ajority of the vocational business teachers, 78.8

percent, and the m ajority of the guidance counselors, 87.2 percent,
Indicated there was a need fo r a placementcoordinator at th e ir
school on a part-tim e or a fu ll-tim e basis.

151
12.

Results of Hypotheses Tested.

In order to determine

I f vocational business teachers and guidance counselors who re­
sponded "no" to the need fo r a placement coordinator were more In ­
volved 1n career planning and placement than those who responded
"yes", three null hypotheses were tested.

A two-way analysis of

variance yielded a non-s1gn1f1cant F-rat1o Indicating no s ig n ifi­
cant differences at the .001 level 1n the Involvement 1n career
planning and placement of vocational business teachers and guidance
counselors In relationship to th e ir responses regarding the need
fo r a placement coordinator.
13.

Respondents* Opinions Concerning Responsibility fo r

Career Planning and Placement o f Vocational O ffice Students.

The

majority of vocational business teachers and guidance counselors
indicated career planning and placement o f vocational o ffic e
students should be some type o f jo in t re sp o n sib ility.

Of the

188 guidance counselors. 16.5 percent Indicated jo in t responsi­
b i l i t y between the guidance counselor, and vocational business
teacher; 13.3 percent Indicated jo in t resp o nsib ility between the
vocational business teacher and placement coordinator; and 32.4
percent Indicated jo in t resp o nsib ility between the guidance
counselor, vocational business teacher, and placement coordinator.
Of the 183 vocational business teachers who responded, 15.2 percent
Indicated jo in t resp o n sib ility between the guidance counselor and
vocational business teacher; 19.6 percent Indicated jo in t respon­
s ib il i t y between the vocational business teacher and placement

152
coordinator; and 27.7 percent Indicated jo in t responsibility
between the guidance counselor, vocational business teacher, and
placement coordinator.
Conclusions
1.

Vocational business teachers generally Indicated a

high degree of Involvement 1n providing a ll kinds o f Information
and s k ills 1n career planning and placement.

Sixty-three percent

of the Items received mean Involvement scores above 2.5 Indicating
the kinds o f Information and s k ills provided "frequently" or
"always" by vocational business teachers.

Vocational business

teachers indicated the highest degree of Involvement 1n providing
self-placement s k ills and the lowest degree of Involvement 1n
placement a c tiv itie s .

"Teach and require students to prepare a

resume or data sheet" was the Item provided most frequently by
vocational business teachers.

"Conduct Interviews with potential

dropouts fo r placement purposes" received the lowest mean Involve­
ment score from vocational business teachers.
2.

Guidance counselors did not appear to be e ffe c tiv e

participants 1n career planning and placement as evidenced by
th e ir low degree of Involvement 1n providing specific kinds of
Information and s k ills .

Only 22 percent o f the Items received mean

involvement scores above 2.5 Indicating the kinds of information
and s k ills provided "frequently" or "always" by guidance
counselors.

153
Guidance counselors Indicated the highest degree o f Involve
ment in providing career Information items and lowest degree of
Involvement 1n placement a c tiv itie s .

"Acquaint students with

sources o f career Information and where to locate them" received
the highest mean involvement score from guidance counselors.

Guid­

ance counselors were least involved in providing the following
items:

"Conduct a yearly survey o f employers of vocational o ffic e

graduates to determine how the vocational o ffic e program might be
improved" and "Prepare a handbook or guide fo r students and parents
describing placement assistance available to students."
3.

When a ll Information and s k ills were grouped into three

categories, vocational business teachers tended to be Involved in
providing the Information and s k ills 1n order of self-placement
s k ills f i r s t , career information second, and placement a c tiv itie s
th ird .

Guidance counselors tended to be involved 1n providing

career Information f i r s t , self-placement s k ills second, and
placement a c tiv itie s th ird .
Groups o f respondents were compared in th e ir involvement
1n providing three categories of Information and s k ills , and
s ta tis tic a l significance was achieved showing the following:
a.

Vocational business teachers were more Involved than
guidance counselors In providing career Information,
self-placement s k ills and placement a c tiv itie s .

b.

When vocational business teachers were divided Into
two groups and compared with guidance counselors,
teachers were found to be more Involved than guid­
ance counselors 1n providing only two o f the three
categories—career Information and self-placement
s k ills . Teacher/coordinators, however, were more

154

involved than guidance counselors In providing career
Information* self-placement s k ills , and placement
a c tiv itie s .
c.

Among vocational business teachers, teacher/coordi­
nators were more Involved 1n placement a c tiv itie s
than teachers.
4.

Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors

generally perceived the Information and s k ills 1n career planning
and placement to be the resp o n sib ilities of the vocational business
teacher and placement coordinator.
5.

Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors

were 1n general agreement regarding the kinds of Information and
s k ills which should be the resp o n sib ilities of the vocational
business teacher.

However, vocational business teachers perceived

themselves providing more information and s k ills than guidance
counselors perceived them providing, and exhibited a higher percent
of agreement.
The kinds of Information and s k ills designated the respon­
s ib ilit ie s of the vocational business teacher by guidance coun­
selors and vocational business teachers tended to be self-placement
s k ills .
6.

Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors

perceived the guidance counselor as providing the least number of
Information and s k ills 1n career planning and placement.

However,

guidance counselors perceived themselves providing more than voca­
tional business teachers perceived them providing.
7.

Guidance counselors and vocational business teachers

were 1n agreement regarding resp o n s ib ilities to be assigned to the

155
placement coordinator.

The kinds o f Information and s k ills assigned

were placement a c tiv itie s , with the following item receiving the
highest percent of response from both groups:

"Keep an up-to-date

11st or posting of current, local job openings."

Vocational busi­

ness teachers gave the highest percent of response to "Assist stu­
dents 1n securing summer exmplyment;" while guidance counselors
gave the highest percent o f response to "Conduct surveys of local
businesses to determine job openings."
Application o f a chi square tes t of homogeneity indicated
there was not a high degree of agreement between vocational busi­
ness teachers and guidance counselors regarding who should be
responsible fo r providing the fifty -o n e Items in career planning
and placement.
9.

Career planning and placement of vocational o ffic e

students should involve some combination of jo in t resp o nsib ility
between the vocational business teacher, guidance counselor or
placement coordinator.

Approximately 42.9 percent of the voca­

tional business teachers and 48.9 percent o f the guidance coun­
selors Indicated jo in t responsibility for career planning and
placement Involving the guidance counselor; however, both groups
appeared not to know exactly what Information and s k ills the
guidance counselor should provide.
10.

Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors

believe there exists a need fo r a placement coordinator a t th e ir
school, and described job placement at th e ir school as "mostly

156

an informal service where teachers, coop coordinators and guidance
counselors help place students."
Recommendations and Implications
The findings and conclusions 1n th is study have led to the
following recommendations and implications:
1.

Each school should employ an Individual in the position

of placement coordinator whose primary and only resp o nsib ility
would be to coordinate a comprehensive placement e ffo rt 1n the
school, on e ith er a part-tim e or fu ll-tim e basis depending on the
size of the school.

Although others may be Involved, the place­

ment coordinator should coordinate the career planning and place­
ment e ffo rts p a rtic u la rly o f teachers and guidance counselors to
meet the needs of a ll students in the school.

This recommendation

is based on the following assumptions:
a.

Vocational business teachers and guidance counselors
believe there exists a need fo r a placement coordinator
1n the school.

b.

Current placement e ffo rts are being carried out p r i­
marily by guidance counselors and coop coordinators
and are not adequate to meet the needs of a ll students.

c.

Guidance counselors do not appear to be e ffe c tiv e par­
ticip an ts in the career planning and placement process
even though some have been designated with the responsl• b ll i t y fo r placement.
2.

The placement coordinator should be prim arily respon­

sib le fo r those information and s k ills concerned with securing
job placements fo r students through close contact with represen­
tatives o f business and Industry, and coordinating the d elivery

157
of career Information and self-placement s k ills by guidance coun­
selors and teachers.
The kinds of Information and s k ills provided by the place­
ment coordinator should Include the following:

Referrals of In d i­

vidual students to employers; conduct surveys of local businesses
to determine job openings; conduct follow-up surveys of graduates;
prepare a placement handbook fo r students and parents; assist stu­
dents 1n securing sumner employment, part-tim e employment while In
school, and fu ll-tim e employment; keep an up-to-date posting of
current local job openings; make available Information on what
businesses have hired former graduates and 1n what types o f posi­
tions; and acquaint employers with the vocational programs 1n the
school.
3.

In-service workshops 1n career planning and placement

should be conducted Involving teachers, counselors, and placement
coordinators.

In these workshops, each participant should be

made aware of his role 1n the career planning placement process,
and the roles of other participants, 1n terms o f sp ecific, con­
crete kinds of Information and s k ills to be provided, and how to
provide them.

This recommendation 1s based on the following

assumptions:
a.

Guidance counselors believe they should be par­
ticip an ts 1n the career planning and placement
of students, however, they appeared not to know
exactly what specific Information and s k ills
they should provide.

b.

Vocational business teachers believe the guidance
counselor should p artic ip ate 1n career planning

158
and placement of students along with vocational
business teachers and placement coordinator. How­
ever, they appeared not to know what kinds of In fo r­
mation and s k ills the guidance counselor should
provide.
c.

Guidance counselors and vocational business teachers
perceived the vocational business teacher as providing
self-placement s k ills , and the placement coordinator
providing placement a c tiv itie s . However, both groups
were undecided regarding who should provide a variety
of career Information Items.

d.

Career planning and placement of students should be a
jo in t responsibility Involving teachers, guidance
counselors, and placement coordinators.
4.

Curriculum materials designed to provide students with

specific kinds of Information and s k ills in career planning and
placement should be developed and made available to a ll schools.
These materials should be easily adaptable to a variety of delivery
methods since each school should be responsible fo r organizing th e ir
placement e ffo rt Into the best combinations of people and programs
fo r the most e ffe c tiv e , e ffic ie n t, and comprehensive delivery
of placement.
5.

Further

research should be

undertaken to discover

methods of e ffe c tiv e ly u tiliz in g the guidance counselor 1n the
career planning and
6.
Include

Sim ilar

placement process.
research should be

undertaken periodically to

current and former high schoolstudents, to determine i f

specific kinds of Information and s k ills are being provided stu­
dents a t the secondary lev el.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX A
SAMPLE OF LETTER TO PARTICIPANTS

167

October 1977

Dear Colleague:
A study 1s being conducted to determine the specific kinds of
Information and s k ills 1n career planning and placement provided
secondary vocational o ffic e students by vocational business teachers
and guidance counselors. I am conducting this study fo r my Ph.D.
dissertation a t Michigan State University.
By p articipating 1n th is study you w ill have an opportunity to
(1) express your opinion regarding the need fo r a placement
coordinator at your school, (2) Indicate specific kinds of a c tiv itie s
the placement coordinator should perform, and (3) Indicate the
specific kinds o f a c tiv itie s you should perform.
As a former business teacher, I know how busy you are and the
numerous questionnaires you must receive each school year. However,
please give me a few minutes o f your time to support a project on a
topic that 1s o f Increasing concern to students, parents, and
educators.
Thank you.

Clara S. Duncan, Assistant Director
Placement Services
113 Student Services Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48824
Enclosures

168

APPENDIX B
SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE

169

SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE

PART I - BACKGROUND INFORMATION
(1)

Your primary responsibility
Vocational teacher
Coop Coordinator
t eacher and Coordinator
Guidance Counselor

(2)

Job placement at my school can best be described as
(c irc le one)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

(3)

mostly a fu ll-tim e formal service with a fu ll-tim e
placement coordinator
mostly a part-tim e formal service with a part-tim e
placement coordinator
mostly an Informal service where teachers, coop
coordinator and counselors help place students
a l i t t l e o f both (b) and (c)
my school does not provide job placement assistance.

Does your school currently have a s ta ff person designated
s p e c ific a lly responsible fo r job placement on a day-to-day
basis?
Yes (T itle :
No
Don't Know

(4)

)

I f you checked "yes" 1n No. (3 ), how e ffe c tiv e , 1n your
opinion 1s th is Individual?
a. very e ffe c tiv e
b. somewhat e ffe ctive
c. somewhat In e ffe c tiv e
d. very In e ffe c tiv e
e. don't know

(5)

Who do you feel should have the PRIMARY resp o nsib ility fo r
career planning and placement o f vocational o ffic e students?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

the student's guidance counselor
the vocational o f f cer teacher and/or coop coordinator
a placement counse or/coordinator
jo in t e ffo r t o f (a and fbl
jo in t e ffo r t o f (b and (c)
jo in t e ffo rt o f (a , (b ), and (c ).

f!

170

171

(6)

Do you feel there 1s a need fo r a placement coordinator at
your school?
Yes, part-tim e
Yes, fu ll-tim e
No

PART I I - DIRECTIONS
The Items on the following pages are selected a c tiv itie s 1n career
planning and placement. Each Item should be read c a re fu lly and
each requires TWO RESPONSES.
(1)

CIRCLE THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER to Indicate how often you
provide the Information or perform the a c tiv ity for
vocational o ffic e students.
1 NEVER

- I never or ra re ly do th is
{fo r any o f my students)

2 SOMETIMES

- I occasionally do this
(fo r some o f my students)

3 FREQUENTLY - I often do th is
(fo r most o f my students)
4 ALWAYS

(2)

- Yes, I always do this
(fo r a ll my students)

CIRCLE THE APPROPRIATE LETTER to Indicate who 1n your
opinion should have the primary resp o nsib ility fo r provicing the Information (or performing the a c tiv ity )
regardless o f whether or not your school currently employs
such an Ind ividu al. (PLEASE DO NOT CIRCLE MORE THAN ONE
LETTER).
A -Vocational o ffic e teacher and/or Coop Coordinator
B -Guidance Counselor
C -Placement Counselor/Coordinator

REMEMBER:

CIRCLE ONLY ONE LETTER AND ONE NUMBER

172
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Present Information on types o f jobs
available to students completing a
secondary vocational o ffic e program.

1

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2. 5 2.
4

A B C

2. Prepare a handbook or guide fo r
students and parents describing
placement assistance available to
students.

1

2

3 4

A B C

3. Conduct Interviews with potential school
dropouts fo r placement purposes.

1

2

3 4

A B C

4. Inform students o f the requirements o f
various o ffic e occupations.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

5. Acquaint employers with the type o f
student available fo r employment from
the vocational o ffic e program.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

6. Present Information on various to ols,
machines, and other materials used 1n
o ffic e occupation.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

7. Make regular v is its to employers to
update knowledge of job requirements
and s o lic it job vacancies.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

8.

Inform students what a typical working
day 1s lik e and type o f work environ­
ment 1n o ffic e occupations.

1

2

3 4

A B C

9.

Conduct surveys o f local businesses to
determine job openings.

1 2 3 4 A B C

10.

Inform students o f the normal working
hours fo r various o ffic e jobs.

1

11.

Impress upon students the Importance o f
non-skill q u alificatio n s o f the
employee such as lo y a lty , honesty,
punctuality, dependability.

1 2 3 4 A B C

12.

Conduct follow-up surveys o f graduates
to determine types of employment found.

1

2

2

3 4

3 4

A B C

A BC

173

PLEASE CIRCLE ONLY ONE NUMBER AND ONE’ LETTER

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13.

Present Information on the typical
career ladder associated with the
students' occupational area o f tra in in g .

1

2 3

4

A

B C

14.

Assist students 1n learning the nature
of the work performed 1n each position
on his career ladder.

1

2 3

4

A

B C

15.

Locate and Id e n tify potential job
placements fo r students.

1

2 3

4

A

B C

16.

Inform students o f educational require­
ments and/or experience necessary to
advance to other positions on his/her
career ladder.

1

2 3

4

A

B C

17.

Inform students how to Id e n tify source
fo r obtaining names and addresses of
prospective employers lo c a lly .

1

2 3

4

A

B C

18.

Teach and require students to prepare
a resume or data sheet.

1

2 3

4

A

B C

19.

Id e n tify and record Information concerning
each student's s k ills and employment or
educational objective 1n order to make
re fe rra ls to employers or another
counselor.

1

2 3

4

A B C

20.

Provide actual samples o f employment
applications and require the student to
compete.

1

2 3

4

A

B C

21.

Assist students In evaluating th e ir own
job q ualificatio ns 1n lig h t o f employer
requirements.

1

2 3

4

A

B C

22.

Inform students o f standards o f dress,
grooming and hygiene 1n the work settin g .

1

2 3

4

A

B C

23.

Teach students how to Id e n tify and seek
appropriate Individuals to serve as
references.

1

2 3 4 A

B C

174
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24.

Teach students how to w rite a le t t e r o f
application 1n response to an actual
vacancy.

1

2

3 4

A B C

25.

Provide a central place for bringing
together general employer Information.

1

2

3 4

A B C

26.

Inform students o f differences between
secondary, two-year and private school
programs fo r business jobs.

1

2

3 4

A B C

27.

Assist students 1n making comparisons o f
types o f jobs available to students com­
pleting a two-year and secondary business
curriculum.

1 2 3 4 A B C

28. Inform students o f types of examination
which may be given by various types of
employers.

1

2

3 4

A B C

29. Acquaint students with sources of career
Information and where to locate them.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

30. Present Information on the regional and
national outlook with projected openings
fo r various o ffic e occupations.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

31. Assist students 1n securing summer
employment.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

32.

1

2

3 4

A B C

33. Present Information on the local job
outlook with projected openings fo r
various o ffic e occupations.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

34.

1

2

3 4

A

B C

Assist students 1n securing part-tim e
employment while 1n school.

Present information on number and d1strlb u tlo n o f the work force 1n o ffic e
occupations by sex, age, education,
job t i t l e .

175
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36.

Present Information on new o ffic e occupatlons or decline 1n o ffic e occupations
as a resu lt of new technology.

37.

2

3

■
a .

2 .

s

Make re fe rra ls o f Individual students to
various employers with job openings fo r
fu ll-tim e employment.

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A B C

1

2 3 4

A B C

V is it employers to keep abreast o f Innovatlons or changes in o ffic e occupations
and to revise or update curriculum.

1

2 3 4

A B C

38.

Arrange opportunities fo r students to
ta lk to recent graduates or Individuals
working 1n o ffic e occupations.

1

2 3 4

A B C

39.

Inform students o f approximate beginning
salary ranges and fringe benefits (sick
leave, vacation, Insurance).

1

2 3 4

A B C

40.

Organize "career days" where employers
discuss local job opportunities.

1

2 3 4

A B C

41.

Help students see the relationship
between size of employer and advancement
opportunities.

1

2 3 4

A B C

42. Keep an up-to-date lis tin g or posting o f
current local job openings.

1 2 3 4 A B C

43. Conduct a yearly survey o f employers o f
vocational o ffic e graduates to determine
how the o ffic e program might be Improved.

1 2 3 4 A B C

44.

1

Id e n tify sources o f Information concerning
opportunities fo r employment and procedures
required to u t iliz e these services.

45. Make available to students information on
on what businesses have hired former
graduates and 1n what types o f positions.

2 3 4

A BC

1 2 3 4 A B C

176
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46. Make available specific materials
or contacts that can prepare a student
with Information about an employer
p rio r to an Interview.

1 2

3

4

A B C

47. Acquaint students with community agencies
providing job placement.

1 2

3

4

A B C

48. Describe or demonstrate the Interview
process Including how to arrange an
Interview, typical questions asked,
and dress.

1 2

3

4

A B C

49.

1 2 3

4

A B C

50. Acquaint students with generally accepted
procedures fo r terminating a job Including
length o f notice, and request fo r
references.

1 2

3

4

A B C

51.

1 2

3

4

A B C

t/>

Teach students how to evaluate a job
o ffe r 1n lig h t o f th e ir own personal
c r ite r ia (fin a n c ia l, s o c ia l).

Make students aware o f the need to
Investigate and weigh Information
before making a decision.

APPENDIX C
SAMPLE FOLLOW-UP POSTCARD

177

You recently received two questionnaires asking your
p articip atio n 1n a study to determine the specific
kinds o f Information and s k ills In career planning
and placement being provided secondary vocational
o ffic e students. A high percent o f return 1s needed.
W111 you please take a few minutes to return your
questionnaire? Your cooperation would be very much
appreciated.
Clara S. Duncan, Assistant Director
Placement Services, 113 Student Services Bldg.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48824

178

APPENDIX D
CLASSIFICATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS

179

CLASSIFICATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS BY CATEGORY
Career
Information

S e lfPlacement

Placement
A c tiv itie s

4
6
8
10
13
14
16
26
27
29
30
33
34
36
38
39
41

11
17
18

1
2
3
5
7
9
12
15
19
25
28
31
32
25
37
40
42
43
44
45
46

20
21

22
23
24
47
49
50
51
48

180

APPENDIX E
PEARSON CORRELATION COEFFICIENT

181

Hypotheses One through Four
Pearson Correlation C oefficient
Career
Information

Self-Placement

.823213

Placement A c tiv itie s

.764662

182

S e lfPlacement

.774099

Placement
A c tiv itie s