Factors that influence the choice of STEM careers in the university education of The Savior

Abstract

According to experts in the field of education, the choice of a university career marks the course of the individual’s life; however, it has very strong foundations in the early academic formation of the student. Contrary to popular belief, decision-making is not spontaneous when enrolling in a major. Therefore, in order to identify and understand in a comprehensive way the main causes why students choose, or not, for careers in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, this research was developed,
taking as study subjects 540 active students from six Higher Education Institutions in El Salvador. For data collection, the sample included both, students from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics careers as well as from others not related to them. Participants took a mixed construction questionnaire individually. When analyzing the results gathered, it is possible to determine that, although they are not exclusive, two of the factors that most affect the choice of this type of career are socioeconomic and family factors. Contrary to what has been stated by other authors, sex does not seem to play a determining role in the choice of careers in these areas, but training does.