Recibido: 16/12/2025
Aceptado: 24/04/2026
Vocational
guidance in high school in the city of Atuntaqui (Original)
Orientación vocacional en el bachillerato en la ciudad
de Atuntaqui (Original)
Geovanny Ramiro Chuquimarca Manrique.
Licenciado en Mercadotecnia. Unidad Educativa Hermano Miguel La Salle.
Atuntaqui. Ecuador. [geovanny.chuquimarca@est.umet.edu.ec] _archivos/image002.jpg){kind=small}
Roelbis Lafita Frómeta.
Licenciado en Educación en la especialidad de Biología. Doctor en Ciencias
Pedagógicas. Profesor Titular II. Universidad Metropolitana del Ecuador. [rosyroe2@gmail.com] _archivos/image003.jpg){kind=small}
Abstract
This article aims to diagnose the
current state of vocational guidance at the high school level at Hermano Miguel La Salle Educational Unit, located in the
city of Atuntaqui, Ecuador, and its impact on
students’ academic and professional decision-making, considering the importance
of this process in building life projects aligned with the demands of the
social and educational context. To achieve this, a mixed approach was employed,
integrating theoretical methods such as analytical–synthetic and
inductive–deductive. Among the empirical methods, surveys, interviews, and
document analysis were used. In addition, descriptive statistics and percentage
calculation were used as mathematical procedures. The results obtained show
that, although there are guidance actions in educational institutions, these
present limitations in their systematic nature, relevance, and
contextualization, as well as insufficient attention to individual differences,
which affects the clarity and confidence of students when choosing their future
academic and professional paths. Therefore, the need to strengthen vocational
guidance at the high school level is identified through the implementation of
comprehensive, continuous, and contextualized strategies that promote
self-knowledge, the development of decision-making skills, and an appropriate
alignment between personal interests and environmental opportunities.
Keywords: vocational guidance; high school;
decision-making; life project; secondary education
Resumen
El presente
artículo tiene como objetivo diagnosticar el estado actual de la orientación
vocacional en el bachillerato de la Unidad Educativa Hermano Miguel La Salle,
en la ciudad de Atuntaqui, Ecuador, y su incidencia en la toma de decisiones
académicas y profesionales de los estudiantes, considerando la importancia de
este proceso en la construcción de proyectos de vida coherentes con las
demandas del contexto social y educativo. Para ello, se empleó un enfoque
mixto. Integró métodos teóricos como el analítico-sintético y el
inductivo-deductivo. Entre los métodos empíricos se utilizaron la encuesta, la
entrevista, así como el análisis de documentos. Se utilizó además la
estadística descriptiva y el cálculo porcentual como procedimiento matemático.
Los resultados obtenidos evidencian que, aunque existen acciones orientadoras
en las instituciones educativas, estas presentan limitaciones en su
sistematicidad, pertinencia y contextualización, además de una atención
insuficiente a las diferencias individuales, lo que repercute en la falta de
claridad y seguridad en la elección de futuras trayectorias académicas y
profesionales por parte de los estudiantes. Es por ello que se determina la
necesidad de fortalecer la orientación vocacional en el nivel de bachillerato
mediante la implementación de estrategias integrales, continuas y
contextualizadas que promuevan el autoconocimiento, el desarrollo de
habilidades para la toma de decisiones y una adecuada articulación entre los
intereses personales y las oportunidades del entorno.
Palabras
clave: orientación vocacional; bachillerato; toma de
decisiones; proyecto de vida; educación secundaria
Introduction
Vocational guidance constitutes an
essential formative process in the educational field, particularly at the high
school level, where students go through a crucial stage in defining their life
project. This period is characterized by an intense search for personal
identity, in which aspirations, interests, values and expectations about the
future converge. During these transformations, young people face the need to make
decisions that not only affect their immediate academic trajectory, but also
their professional and social development in the long term. Therefore,
vocational guidance emerges as an indispensable tool to accompany, guide and
strengthen this decision-making process, promoting more conscious, responsible
and coherent choices with the individual characteristics of each student.
In the current context, marked by
profound social, economic, technological and cultural transformations,
vocational guidance acquires even greater relevance. Globalization and the
rapid advancement of knowledge have redefined the dynamics of the labor market,
generating new professions, modifying existing ones and demanding increasingly
complex and flexible competencies. In this scenario, it is no longer sufficient
to choose a career based on traditional criteria or external influences; a
reflective process is required that integrates self-knowledge, exploration of
the environment and understanding of professional development trends. In this
way, vocational guidance becomes a strategic process that allows students to
project themselves into the future with greater clarity and confidence.
From a pedagogical perspective,
vocational guidance must be understood as a continuous, systematic and
comprehensive process that develops throughout the entire educational
trajectory, but which acquires special emphasis at the high school level. It is
not about isolated actions or occasional interventions, but about an
articulated set of educational strategies that involve various actors,
including teachers, counselors, administrators and family. This approach
implies recognizing that vocational guidance is not the exclusive
responsibility of a specific area, but must be integrated transversally into the
curriculum, favoring the progressive construction of the student’s vocational
identity based on meaningful and contextualized experiences (Ministerio de Educación, 2025).
A key element within vocational
guidance is the development of self-knowledge, understood as the student’s
ability to identify their interests, skills, values, motivations and
expectations. This process is fundamental, as it allows the individual to
recognize themselves as an active subject in the construction of their future,
making decisions based on a deeper understanding of themselves. In turn,
self-knowledge must be complemented with the exploration of the environment,
which implies knowing educational opportunities, labor market demands, the
characteristics of different professions and development possibilities in the
local, national and international context.
Likewise, vocational guidance
cannot be separated from the emotional dimension of learning, since vocational
decisions are deeply influenced by affective, social and cultural factors.
Family expectations, peer group pressures, fear of failure or lack of
confidence in one’s own abilities can significantly influence career choice. In
this sense, it is essential to promote guidance processes that consider
socio-emotional education, fostering the development of self-esteem,
resilience, motivation and the ability to face uncertainty. The incorporation
of approaches such as neurodidactics allows a better
understanding of how students learn and how more effective strategies can be
designed to support their integral development.
Vocational guidance in secondary
education has been the subject of increasing interest in contemporary
educational research, highlighting its role in students’ academic and
professional decision-making. In the international context, the contributions
of Quispe & Saucedo (2025), demonstrate the importance of vocational
guidance in the articulation between secondary and higher education, favoring
the continuity of studies and reducing dropout rates in Bolivia. These authors
propose the use of profesiographic tools as a
strategy to strengthen the decision-making process, allowing students to gain a
deeper understanding of the characteristics of different careers and their
field of action.
Sepúlveda (2024), shows that early
vocational decisions in students of technical-professional secondary education
in Chile do not respond to a homogeneous or exclusively individual process, but
are conditioned by a complex interaction of institutional, family, social and personal
factors that influence the construction of their future aspirations. Likewise,
the study highlights that students’ aspirations are not static, but dynamic and
constantly reconfigured, influenced both by their educational experiences and
by the opportunities perceived in their context, which highlights the need to
strengthen vocational guidance processes to ensure more informed, equitable and
coherent choices with young people’s life projects.
On the other hand, Díaz (2023),
argues that vocational guidance in rural areas of Colombia, specifically in
municipalities such as Monterrey, Casanare, should not be an isolated activity,
but an educational policy formally integrated into the curriculum. The research
highlights that the homeroom teacher is the ideal figure to lead this process,
acting as a guide who accompanies the student not only academically, but also
in the development of their emotional intelligence and in decision-making for
their future.
According to Condori (2024),
vocational guidance is a determining factor in promoting student retention in
technical and professional high school education. The study carried out at the
Unidad Educativa Dr. Odilón
Gómez Andrade in Peru reveals that there is a significant lack of prior
knowledge among students regarding their academic options and self-assessment
processes. Through a mixed research approach, it was determined that the
implementation of structured tools, such as a guidance booklet, strengthens
informed decision-making, increases motivation and helps reduce dropout rates.
Caro et al. (2021), evaluate a
support strategy in vocational guidance applied to secondary education students
in the regions of Ñuble and Biobío, Chile, showing
that this type of intervention significantly improves students’ vocational
maturity. The results show progress in self-knowledge, exploration of academic
and professional alternatives, and the ability to make informed decisions about
their future. The authors conclude that vocational guidance at the high school
level must be developed as a continuous, planned and systematic process, since
sustained pedagogical support favors the construction of the life project and
strengthens educational and professional decision-making.
These international contributions
make it possible to show that vocational guidance in secondary education
constitutes a complex, dynamic and decisive process for the construction of
students’ life projects, in which institutional, social, family and pedagogical
factors intervene and directly influence the quality of academic and
professional decisions. In this sense, the reviewed studies agree on the need
to strengthen vocational guidance. Based on this panorama, it is pertinent to
analyze the national context; to understand how vocational guidance develops in
Ecuadorian high school education, identifying its main approaches, limitations
and challenges in relation to the trends and international evidence previously
presented.
In this sense, Peralta et al.
(2025), state that vocational guidance should begin from early stages of school
education and be articulated with active methodologies such as project-based
learning, promoting the development of cognitive, social and emotional
competencies in students. From this perspective, guidance is not limited to
career choice but contributes to the integral formation of the individual and
to the construction of a conscious vision of their future.
For their part, Dillon-Pérez et al.
(2023), argue that vocational and professional guidance constitutes a key
pedagogical alternative to improve the choice of university careers, especially
in contexts where students show indecision or lack sufficient information.
Likewise, they emphasize the need to implement systematic strategies within
educational institutions that allow students to identify their interests,
aptitudes and expectations, in correspondence with the demands of the social
and labor environment, which favors more accurate decision-making.
Along the same lines, Perdomo
(2024), highlights the relationship between vocational guidance and the
construction of the life project in high school students, pointing out that
this process must promote self-knowledge and critical reflection as bases for
future planning. According to this approach, adequate guidance contributes to
the development of more autonomous, confident and committed students with their
personal and professional goals.
On the other hand, Cedeño & Calle
(2024), analyze the influence of vocational guidance on the choice of initial
career, highlighting that this process is conditioned by personal, social and
contextual factors. In this sense, the authors underline the importance of
developing guidance programs that integrate emotional support with academic and
professional information, with the aim of reducing uncertainty and promoting
decisions more consistent with the student’s profile.
The study by Murillo-Moreira &
Vallejo-Valdivieso (2022) analyzes the relationship
between vocational guidance and the choice of university careers in third-year
high school students of a public institution in Manabí, Ecuador. Through a
descriptive-correlational quantitative approach, the authors found a low
positive relationship between both variables, which indicates that, although
guidance influences, its impact is limited and requires deeper work with young
people. The results highlight those external factors such as economic situation;
availability of university slots and family pressure significantly condition
decision-making. Finally, the research concludes that adolescents at this stage
feel vulnerable regarding their future, suggesting the need to extend guidance
programs to families to enhance motivation and reduce the risk of dropout in
higher education.
Vocational guidance in the
Ecuadorian educational context is conceived as a transversal formative process
that contributes to the integral development of the student, in accordance with
the guidelines established in the National Education Curriculum. From this
perspective, it is not limited to the choice of a career but is oriented
towards the progressive construction of the life project, promoting
self-knowledge, the identification of interests, skills and values, as well as
informed and responsible decision-making. At the high school level, particularly
in the General Unified Baccalaureate, key competencies such as autonomy,
critical thinking and personal projection are strengthened, which are essential
for vocational definition. In educational practice, vocational guidance is
operationalized through articulated actions from the Student Counseling
Departments (DECE by its acronym in Spanish), tutoring spaces and the different
areas of knowledge, favoring the articulation between secondary education,
higher education and the labor world, according to the demands of the country’s
social and productive context (Ministerio de
Educación, 2025).
Despite the importance of
vocational guidance, in many educational contexts there are limitations that
affect its quality and effectiveness. Among the main difficulties are the
insufficient preparation of teaching staff in guidance topics, the lack of
structured and systematic programs, the absence of adequate teaching resources
and the limited articulation between the school and the productive environment.
These problems often lead students to make rushed, poorly informed decisions or
decisions influenced by external factors, which may result in academic
frustration, frequent changes of career or dropout.
In this context, it is necessary to
rethink vocational guidance from more innovative, inclusive and contextualized
approaches that respond to the real needs of students and the demands of the
environment. The implementation of active methodologies, such as project-based
learning, gamification, the use of digital technologies and the connection with
real professional performance scenarios, can significantly enrich this process.
Likewise, the organization of vocational fairs, visits to higher education
institutions, meetings with professionals from different fields and
decision-making workshops constitute valuable strategies to broaden students’
perspectives and strengthen their choice process.
The strengthening of vocational
guidance at the high school level is presented as a challenge and, at the same
time, as an opportunity for contemporary educational systems. Analyzing its
current state, identifying its main limitations and designing improvement
proposals will allow progress towards a more relevant, equitable and
student-centered education. In this way, it will contribute to the formation of
citizens capable of building solid, flexible and coherent life projects with
the demands of the 21st century, prepared not only to enter the labor market,
but also to transform it in a critical, creative and responsible way.
That is why the objective of this
research is to diagnose the current state of vocational guidance in the high
school of the Unidad Educativa Hermano
Miguel La Salle, in the city of Atuntaqui, Ecuador
and its impact on the academic and professional decision-making of students,
considering the importance of this process in the construction of life projects
consistent with the demands of the social and educational context.
Materials and Methods
The present study was developed
under a mixed approach, by integrating quantitative and qualitative methods
with the purpose of obtaining a broader and deeper understanding of the current
state of vocational guidance at the high school level. From the quantitative
perspective, data collection and analysis techniques were used that allowed
measuring the level of knowledge, interests and perceptions of students
regarding their vocational training. At the same time, the qualitative approach
made it possible to interpret the experiences, criteria and evaluations of
teachers regarding this formative process.
The population consisted of 78 high
school students and 2 psychologists from the Unidad Educativa
Hermano Miguel La Salle, in the city of Atuntaqui, Ecuador. The intentional sample was composed of 78
high school students and 2 psychologists, based on their direct link with the
vocational guidance process. This selection made it possible to obtain relevant
and contextualized information for the fulfillment of the objective of the
study.
For data collection, various
theoretical and empirical methods were used. Among the theoretical methods, the
analytical-synthetic method was employed, which allowed breaking down and
understanding the elements involved in vocational guidance, as well as the
inductive-deductive method, used to establish generalizations from the data
obtained. Regarding empirical methods, a structured survey was applied to
students with the aim of identifying their interests, knowledge and perceptions
about vocational guidance, as well as semi-structured interviews with teachers
to explore their experiences, criteria and strategies used in this process.
Documentary analysis was also used to review and analyze normative documents,
study programs and bibliographic sources related to vocational guidance.
For the analysis of quantitative
data, descriptive statistics were used, employing frequencies and percentages
for the interpretation of the results. On the other hand, qualitative data were
analyzed through a thematic categorization process, which allowed identifying
patterns and trends in the participants’ responses. Finally, the study was
developed respecting the ethical principles of educational research,
guaranteeing the confidentiality of the information, the informed consent of
the participants and the responsible use of the data obtained.
Analysis and Discussion of the
Results
The analysis of the results of the
initial diagnosis allows understanding in a holistic manner the current state
of vocational guidance in high school students of the Unidad Educativa Hermano Miguel La
Salle, revealing a set of insufficiencies that go beyond the merely descriptive
and are configured as a problem of a structural, pedagogical and institutional
nature. The interpretation of the data, organized according to the defined
indicators, not only reveals weaknesses in specific dimensions of the guidance
process, but also highlights the existence of interdependence relationships
among these dimensions, which confirms the systemic, dynamic and multifactorial
nature of vocational guidance in the contemporary educational context.
Considering what was previously
addressed, a structured survey was applied to students, considering the
following indicators: vocational self-knowledge; academic and professional
information; participation in vocational guidance; institutional integration;
external factors in decision-making; autonomy in decision-making; motivation
and retention; articulation between high school and higher education. The
results are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Results of the
survey applied to students
|
Indicators |
Strongly disagree |
Disagree |
Neutral |
Agree |
Strongly agree |
|||||
|
Number of Students |
% |
Number of Students |
% |
Number of Students |
% |
Number of Students |
% |
Number of Students |
% |
|
|
Vocational self-knowledge |
22 |
28,2 |
23 |
29,5 |
22 |
28,2 |
7 |
9,0 |
4 |
5,1 |
|
Academic and professional
information |
24 |
30,8 |
24 |
30,7 |
20 |
25,6 |
7 |
9,0 |
3 |
4,0 |
|
Participation in vocational
guidance |
21 |
35,9 |
23 |
29,5 |
16 |
20,0 |
7 |
9,0 |
4 |
5,1 |
|
Institutional integration |
28 |
27,0 |
26 |
33,3 |
21 |
33,3 |
6 |
8,0 |
4 |
4,8 |
|
External factors in
decision-making |
8 |
10,3 |
12 |
15,4 |
15 |
19,2 |
24 |
30,8 |
19 |
24,3 |
|
Autonomy in decision-making |
21 |
26,9 |
23 |
29,5 |
23 |
29,5 |
7 |
9,0 |
4 |
5,1 |
|
Motivation and retention |
14 |
18,0 |
24 |
30,7 |
25 |
32,0 |
10 |
12,8 |
5 |
6,4 |
|
Articulation between high school
and higher education |
27 |
34,6 |
26 |
33,4 |
17 |
21,8 |
5 |
6,4 |
3 |
3,8 |
Source: Own
elaboration.
In relation to vocational
self-knowledge, the results show a marked tendency toward low levels,
indicating that students present significant limitations in identifying their
interests, skills, aptitudes and personal goals. This situation constitutes one
of the main weaknesses of the vocational guidance process, since self-knowledge
represents the starting point for the construction of coherent and well-founded
decisions. From a theoretical perspective, this finding is consistent with the
approaches of Caro et al. (2021), who argue that vocational maturity largely
depends on the progressive development of self-knowledge, understood not only
as the identification of personal characteristics, but as a reflective process
that allows the individual to project themselves into the future. The
identified insufficiency suggests that the educational process is not
effectively promoting formative experiences oriented toward introspection,
self-regulation and identity construction, which limits the integral
development of the student.
This deficit in self-knowledge is
closely linked to the limitations identified in the indicator of academic and
professional information, where a predominance of low levels is also observed.
Students show insufficient knowledge about higher education options,
professional profiles, admission requirements and labor opportunities, which
hinders the articulation between their personal interests and the demands of
the social and productive context. This result is consistent with the
contributions of Quispe & Saucedo (2025), who highlight the importance of
incorporating profesiographic tools as a strategy to
strengthen vocational decision-making. In this sense, the lack of information
not only limits knowledge of the environment, but also reinforces insecurity
and indecision, generating a cumulative effect that negatively impacts other
indicators such as autonomy and motivation.
Regarding the indicator of
participation in vocational guidance, the results reflect a low level of
student involvement in formative activities related to this process, which
evidences the absence of a systematic and sustained approach over time. The
limited participation in workshops, educational fairs or personalized
counseling indicates that vocational guidance is not conceived as a continuous
process, but rather as a series of isolated and unarticulated actions. This
finding is consistent with what was proposed by Díaz (2023), who argues that
vocational guidance should be integrated transversally into the curriculum and
developed permanently throughout the educational trajectory. The lack of
systematicity identified in the diagnosis not only limits learning
opportunities but also reduces the possibility of building a solid and
progressive vocational identity.
The analysis of the indicator of
institutional integration reinforces this idea, by showing a weak articulation
of vocational guidance with the curriculum, teaching practice and institutional
management. The limited participation of teachers in guidance processes, as
well as the scarce coordination with the Student Counseling Department, reveals
that vocational guidance is not assumed as a strategic axis of the educational
process. From a pedagogical point of view, this fragmentation reduces the
coherence and continuity of guidance actions, which directly affects their
effectiveness. In this sense, Díaz (2023) emphasizes that vocational guidance
should be conceived as a shared responsibility of all educational actors, which
implies a reconfiguration of pedagogical and organizational practices aimed at
the integral formation of the student.
On the other hand, the indicator
external factors in decision-making presents a high incidence, showing that
students’ vocational decisions are strongly conditioned by the family, social
and economic environment. This result reveals that vocational decision-making
does not respond solely to individual processes but is mediated by a complex
network of external influences. This behavior is consistent with the
contributions of Sepúlveda (2024), who states that
vocational aspirations are constructed in interaction with contextual factors
that include family expectations, socioeconomic conditions and perceived
opportunities. However, although these influences are inherent to the process,
vocational guidance must contribute to developing in students a greater
critical capacity that allows them to analyze, question and balance these
influences according to their own interests and aspirations.
In line with the above, the
indicator of autonomy in decision-making presents low levels, reflecting a
limited capacity of students to make independent, confident and well-founded
decisions. This situation is directly related to the weaknesses in
self-knowledge and access to information, which evidences the interdependence
among the analyzed indicators. The lack of clarity about one’s own capacities
and the lack of knowledge of the academic-professional environment generate
insecurity, indecision and dependence on external factors. This result is
consistent with Caro et al. (2021), who point out that vocational autonomy is
built from an integral educational process that promotes reflection, critical
analysis and conscious decision-making. The limited autonomy identified in the
diagnosis highlights the need to strengthen pedagogical strategies aimed at
developing critical thinking and self-regulation.
Regarding the indicator of
motivation and retention, the results show an intermediate situation, in which
moderate levels of motivation coexist with manifestations of uncertainty and
disinterest. This ambivalence reflects that, although some students maintain
positive expectations regarding their academic future, others present doubts
that may affect their commitment to the educational process. This finding is
consistent with what was proposed by Condori (2024), who argues that vocational
guidance plays a key role in strengthening motivation and reducing the risk of
school dropout. The insufficient guidance identified in the diagnosis limits
the capacity of the educational system to generate meaning and purpose in
students’ education, which may translate into unstable educational
trajectories.
Finally, the indicator of
articulation between high school and higher education presents the greatest
weaknesses, showing a low level of student preparation to face the transition
to higher education. The lack of knowledge of post-secondary options, the lack
of clarity in the educational pathway and the limited linkage with higher
education institutions restrict educational continuity and the construction of
sustainable life projects. This result is consistent with the approaches of
Quispe & Saucedo (2025), who highlight the importance of strengthening
articulation between educational levels as a key element to guarantee
permanence and academic success. The absence of this articulation in the
studied context constitutes one of the main limitations of the vocational
guidance process.
From an integrative perspective,
the results of the structured survey allow affirming that vocational guidance
in the studied institution presents a low level of development, characterized
by the lack of systematicity, limited curricular integration, insufficient
preparation of educational actors and weak articulation with the environment.
The interrelation among the analyzed indicators shows that the identified
weaknesses are not isolated, but rather part of a system that requires a
comprehensive, coherent and sustained intervention over time.
In this sense, the findings
obtained not only confirm the trends identified in the international scientific
literature but also highlight the need to rethink vocational guidance from more
innovative, inclusive and contextualized approaches. The incorporation of
active methodologies, the use of digital technologies, the integration of
socio-emotional education and the articulation with the productive and academic
environment are presented as key strategies to strengthen this process.
Likewise, it is essential to promote an institutional culture that recognizes
vocational guidance as an essential component of the integral formation of the
student.
To complement the information
obtained through the survey, a semi-structured interview was designed and
applied to 2 psychologists of the institution, organized based on the following
indicators: conception of vocational guidance; development of self-knowledge in
students; access to and management of vocational information; planning and
systematicity of vocational guidance; institutional integration of the guidance
process; influence of external factors in decision-making; articulation between
high school and higher education. The results are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Results of the
interview applied to psychologists
|
Indicators |
Presence of insufficiencies |
(%) |
|
Conception of vocational guidance
|
1 |
50% |
|
Development of self-knowledge in
students |
2 |
100% |
|
Access to and management of
vocational information |
2 |
100% |
|
Planning and systematicity of
vocational guidance |
2 |
100% |
|
Institutional integration of the
guidance process |
2 |
100% |
|
Influence of external factors in
decision-making |
2 |
100% |
|
Articulation between high school
and higher education |
2 |
100% |
Source:
Own Elaboration.
The qualitative analysis of the
interviews conducted with the psychologists of the Unidad Educativa
Hermano Miguel La Salle allowed for a deeper
understanding of the current state of vocational guidance at the high school
level, providing an expert perspective on institutional dynamics, guidance
practices and the main limitations affecting this formative process. The
information obtained not only complements the quantitative results derived from
the survey administered to students but also enables a more critical and
contextualized interpretation of the phenomenon studied, by revealing the
underlying causes of the identified problems.
In general terms, a significant
convergence is observed among the psychologists’ criteria, who recognize the
existence of multiple insufficiencies in the development of vocational
guidance, which allows characterizing this process as fragmented, unsystematic
and weakly articulated with the curriculum and institutional dynamics. This
qualitative assessment reinforces the results obtained in quantitative analysis
and confirms the need to rethink vocational guidance from a more comprehensive,
coherent and contextualized approach.
In relation to the conception of
vocational guidance, the interviewees show a general understanding of its
importance within the educational process; however, differences are identified
in the way they conceptualize its development. While one of the psychologists
assumes vocational guidance as a continuous, comprehensive and transversal
process, the other perceives it more as a punctual action aimed at choosing a
career at the end of high school.
This conceptual divergence
highlights the absence of a unified institutional approach, which limits the
coherence of guidance practices and reduces their formative impact. This
situation is consistent with what was proposed by Díaz (2023), who emphasizes
the need to conceive vocational guidance as a systematic process integrated
into the curriculum and not as an isolated intervention.
Regarding the development of
self-knowledge in students, both psychologists agree that it constitutes one of
the main weaknesses of the vocational guidance process. It is evident that
students have difficulties recognizing their interests, skills, aptitudes and
future expectations, which directly affects the quality of their vocational
decisions. Likewise, the interviewees acknowledge that the strategies
implemented to promote self-knowledge are limited, insufficiently systematic
and lack continuity, which prevents the progressive development of vocational
identity. This finding is consistent with the approaches of Caro et al. (2021),
who highlight that self-knowledge is an essential element for the development
of vocational maturity and informed decision-making.
In relation to access to and
management of vocational information, the psychologists agree that students do
not have sufficient, updated and contextualized information about the available
academic and professional options. A limited use of resources such as
vocational guides, digital platforms, educational fairs or profesiographic
tools is identified, which restricts the possibilities for exploring the
educational and labor environment. This lack of information generates
uncertainty and disorientation among students, who tend to make decisions based
on incomplete perceptions or external influences. This result is consistent
with what was proposed by Quispe & Saucedo (2025), who underline the
importance of strengthening the informational component as a basis for
vocational decision-making.
The analysis of the indicator of
planning and systematicity of vocational guidance reveals one of the main
weaknesses of the process. The psychologists agree in pointing out the absence
of a structured program that organizes guidance actions coherently throughout
high school. The activities carried out are sporadic, unarticulated and without
defined planning, which limits their impact and continuity. This lack of
systematicity prevents vocational guidance from being consolidated as a progressive
formative process, as proposed by Díaz (2023), who highlights the need to
integrate these actions permanently into the curriculum.
Regarding the institutional
integration of the guidance process, the interviewees identify a weak
articulation between the Student Counseling Department, the teaching staff and
institutional management. Vocational guidance is perceived as a responsibility
limited to the psychological area, without the participation of the rest of the
educational actors. This institutional fragmentation reduces the coherence of
the process and limits its formative scope, since the potential of
interdisciplinary work is not fully utilized. From a pedagogical perspective,
this situation highlights the need to promote an institutional culture that
recognizes vocational guidance as a transversal axis of the educational
process.
On the other hand, in the indicator
of influence of external factors in decision-making, both psychologists agree
in pointing out that the family, social context and economic conditions exert a
determining influence on students’ vocational choices. It is highlighted that,
in many cases, decisions do not respond to personal interests, but to family
expectations, economic limitations or social perceptions about certain professions.
This finding is consistent with the contributions of Sepúlveda
(2024), who states that vocational decisions are conditioned by a complex
interaction of contextual factors that influence the construction of youth
aspirations. In this sense, psychologists recognize the need to strengthen
students’ capacity to critically analyze these influences and make more
autonomous decisions.
In relation to autonomy in
decision-making, although it does not constitute an indicator directly
evaluated in the interview, it emerges transversally in the psychologists’
responses, who indicate that students show insecurity and dependence when
choosing a career. This situation is closely linked to the limitations in
self-knowledge and access to information, which evidences the interdependence
among the different analyzed indicators. The lack of autonomy reflects the need
to strengthen educational processes that promote critical thinking,
self-regulation and conscious decision-making.
Finally, regarding the indicator of
articulation between high school and higher education, the psychologists agree
in pointing out the existence of limited linkage between the educational
institution and universities or other higher education institutions. Systematic
actions such as agreements, institutional visits, informative talks or
educational transition programs are not evident, which hinders students’
preparation for entry into higher education. This result is consistent with the
approaches of Quispe & Saucedo (2025), who highlight the importance of
strengthening articulation between educational levels as a key element to
guarantee continuity of studies and reduce dropout.
The qualitative assessment of the
interview allows sustaining that the identified insufficiencies do not occur in
isolation but respond to a structural problem characterized by the lack of
systematicity, limited institutional integration and insufficient planning of
the vocational guidance process. The interrelation among indicators such as
self-knowledge, information, autonomy and motivation shows
that strengthening this process requires a comprehensive intervention that
simultaneously addresses its different dimensions.
On the other hand, these results
confirm that vocational guidance in the studied institution is developed in a
limited, fragmented manner and with scarce formative impact, which affects the
quality of students’ academic and professional decisions. The convergence
between the psychologists’ criteria and the results obtained in the survey
reinforces the validity of the diagnosis and highlights the need to design and
implement innovative, contextualized and sustained pedagogical strategies over
time, aimed at strengthening self-knowledge, improving access to information,
promoting autonomy in decision-making and consolidating the articulation
between high school and higher education, in accordance with the demands of the
contemporary educational context.
Conclusions
The results of the study show that
vocational guidance in the high school of the Unidad Educativa
Hermano Miguel La Salle in the city of Atuntaqui in Ecuador presents an insufficient level of
development, characterized by a lack of systematicity, limited integration into
the curriculum and weak institutional articulation. Both quantitative and
qualitative analyses show limitations in students’ self-knowledge, access to
academic and professional information, participation in guidance activities and
preparation for the transition to higher education. Likewise, a high influence
of external factors in decision-making is identified, reflecting reduced levels
of vocational autonomy. Taken together, this evidence allows understanding that
vocational guidance is developed in a fragmented manner, with limited impact on
the integral formation of students.
Based on this scenario, it is
necessary to strengthen vocational guidance through a methodological proposal
that responds to the identified needs, from a comprehensive, contextualized and
student-centered approach. It is required to articulate the work of the Student
Counseling Department with the teaching staff and institutional management,
promote strategies that favor self-knowledge and personal reflection, guarantee
access to relevant and updated information, and foster conditions that
encourage autonomous and critical decision-making. Likewise, it is essential to
consolidate the articulation between high school and higher education, with the
aim of promoting coherent and sustainable educational trajectories in
accordance with the demands of the contemporary social and educational context.
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