Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to determine if a relationship exists between participation in selected 4-H program components--beef, clothing, foods, and horse and pony--and career selection. The study was designed to provide empirical information for the Cooperative Extension Service about influence upon career selection of selected 4-H program components, generally. If differences existed, (1) sex of participants, (2) selected categories of years of participation tenure, and (3) five selected 4-H experiences were utilized as variables to gain further insights about such differences.An important consideration in the development of the study was the potential usefulness and direct application by Extension professionals in 4-H program planning for career information. The study provided a pioneering step in Indiana toward analyzing the impact of 4-H club participation upon career selection.The population was defined as all 4-H members enrolled in four selected projects in twenty Indiana counties which utilized the Purdue Computer Enrollment System. The 4-H members fell between seventeen and twenty-one years of age at the time of the study. Twenty boys and twenty girls representing each of the four project components in each of the selected counties were randomly selected as participants. Where the total enrollees were fewer than twenty participants for a project component, the entire group population was used.Data were obtained by mailing a questionnaire to each selected participant. The questionnaire was developed to ascertain--(l) perceptions about the degree to which selected 4-H program components generally influenced career selection; (2) sex of participants; (3) participation tenure of members; and (4) perceptions about the degree to which selected 4-H program activities, (a) workshops and meetings, (b) manuals, (c) preparing and presenting demonstrations, (d) working with the 4-H exhibit, and (e) talking with 4-H leaders--influenced career selection.The Chi-square technique at the .05 level was utilized for decisions with regard to a major hypothesis and seven sub-hypotheses. Descriptive analyses were utilized for further probing the data.Primary conclusions were:1. Participation in selected 4-H programs does affect career selection.2. The effect upon career selection is greater for males 4-H participants than female 4-H participants.3. Career selection is influenced more when 4-H participants remain in the respective 4-H program area longer.4. Information meetings and/or workshops influence career selections for horse and pony project participants.5. Reading 4-H manuals influences career selection for foods project participants.6. Preparing and presenting demonstrations influences career selection for participants in foods and horse and pony projects.7. Working with 4-H exhibits influences career selection in all four selected project areas--beef, clothing, foods, and horse and pony.8. Influence upon career selection is greater for participants in 4-H program components, beef and horse and pony, than for participants in clothing and foods.Conduct of the study led to identification of a need for gathering more information about (1) how Extension personnel currently disseminate career information; (2) what type of printed career information materials are currently utilized; (3) where on the Extension personnel priority list career information appears; (5) the ready availability of career information to Extension personnel; and (6) identification of the Cooperative Extension Service personnel role within each community in regard to disseminating career information.