“Survey Report: How Early STEM Exposure

Influences Career Choices for Grade 12

Cadmium Students at Sariaya Institute,
S.Y. 2024-2025.”

I. Introduction

This report shares the results of a survey conducted by Group 5 from 11 Mercury to
see how early exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
affects career choices for Grade 12 Cadmium students at Sariaya Institute for the school
year 2024-2025. We wanted to find out if learning STEM subjects early on makes students
more likely to consider careers in science and technology and what factors push them to
choose these fields. By analyzing their answers, we hope to see how STEM education
might help students feel more confident about their future career paths.

Background

STEM careers are in high demand, and STEM programs aim to give students the skills
they need for jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math. At Sariaya Institute,
the STEM curriculum is hands-on, giving students an introduction to different fields within
science and technology. This approach makes learning more practical and shows students
how STEM subjects apply to real jobs. With this survey, we looked at whether this
exposure to STEM fields helps students choose their careers more clearly. Our goal is to
find ways to better support students in the STEM program as they plan for the future.

Objectives:

General Objective:

• To Determine the impact of early exposure to STEM on the course and career
decisions of Grade 12-Cadmium students.

Specific Objectives:

1. Identify how STEM influences students' decisions in choosing a course.

2. Identify the key factors that affect their career choices.
3. Analyze how early exposure to STEM influences the profession they pursue.
 II. Presentation of Findings

We surveyed 15 Grade 12 Cadmium students and asked about their interest in

different STEM careers, their reasons for choosing the STEM strand, and what factors
influence their career decisions. Here’s a list of what we found:

Interest in STEM Careers

The survey results showed that certain STEM fields, especially healthcare and
engineering, were popular among students. Here’s a summary of their preferences:

• Healthcare and Medicine

Healthcare shown as the top career choice among students, with nearly half 46.67%
or 7 out of 15 showing interest in fields like medicine, nursing, and other healthcare
professions. These students were drawn to healthcare because they enjoy biology and
chemistry and find these subjects both engaging and meaningful.

The popularity of healthcare careers reflects how much recent global health
challenges have highlighted the importance of healthcare professionals. Plus, the
inclusion of biology and chemistry in the STEM curriculum has been key, providing
students with both of the foundational knowledge and practical experiences they need to
feel confident about this path they are taking.

• Engineering

Engineering ranked as the second most popular choice, with 26.67% (4 out of 15)
of students interested in fields like civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Those
leaning toward engineering talked about their love for problem-solving and innovation,
as well as a desire to use scientific knowledge in practical, hands-on ways. They
appreciated that the STEM curriculum included activities like building models and
conducting experiments, which helped them see how engineering concepts apply in real-
life situations.

These students showed a clear preference for developing technical skills to address
real-world challenges, which is at the heart of the engineering profession. Their interest
shows how valuable hands-on learning experiences are for building a solid understanding
of engineering and its applications.
 • Technology and Other Fields

While 26.67% or 4 out of 15, expressed interest in tech-related careers like computer
science, information technology, and digital technology. They pointed out that
programming exercises and digital activities in the STEM curriculum sparked their interest
and helped them see real possibilities in the fast-growing tech sector.

This interest in technology careers aligns with global trends, as demand for tech
professionals continues to grow in the digital economy. The students’ feedback suggests
that early exposure to tech-related content played a big role in helping them envision
career paths that might have felt distant or abstract otherwise.

Reasons and Influencing Factors for Choosing STEM

When asked why they chose STEM, students highlighted two main factors: career
opportunities and personal interest.

• Career Opportunities and Stability

67% (10 out of 15) of students mentioned job opportunities and stability as their
main reasons for choosing STEM. They see STEM fields as pathways to stable, well-paying
careers, which shows a practical approach to planning their futures. Many students
believe that STEM careers offer strong job prospects and financial security, and some
also mentioned wanting to improve their family’s financial situation by entering a stable
field. This speaks to a sense of responsibility and understanding of how their career
choices can impact their families.

• Personal Interest in Science and Technology

Personal interest also played a major role. Several students chose the STEM track
because they’re naturally curious about science and technology. For the 33% of the
students (5 out of 15), STEM isn’t just a way to secure a career but also a source of
intellectual enjoyment. They like exploring scientific concepts and solving complex
problems, making the STEM curriculum a good fit for their interests.

Overall Impact of STEM Exposure on Career Decisions

The survey also looked at how studying STEM impacts students’ career planning and
self-awareness. Overall, early exposure to STEM had a strong, positive effect on most
students.
 • Positive Impact on Career Planning

Around 80% (12 out of 15) felt that early exposure to STEM helped them in their
career planning. Working with STEM subjects helped them recognize their strengths and
interests, giving them confidence to pursue related careers. Many students mentioned
that the STEM program gave them a chance to explore different fields, which helped
them narrow down their choices based on what they enjoy and excel at.

This finding shows the value of STEM education in helping students gain clarity and
confidence in their career decisions. Through real-world applications and problem-solving,
the curriculum allows students to make more informed and confident choices.

• Minimal Impact on Pre-Decided Paths

The remaining 20% (3 out of 15) said the STEM program, while helpful, didn’t change
their career plans significantly, as they had already decided on their paths before joining.
For these students, the program simply reinforced their existing interests.

III. Conclusion and Recommendations

In summary, early exposure to STEM at Sariaya Institute has had a strong, positive
impact on students’ career choices, particularly in healthcare, engineering, and
technology. The STEM curriculum’s hands-on approach helps students align their
strengths and interests with careers that offer promising futures. However, a few areas
for improvement were included: Like Expanding Awareness of Different STEM Careers,
while students know about popular fields like healthcare and engineering, some have
limited knowledge of other STEM careers. By introducing students to other fields like
environmental science, data analytics, and biotechnology, the school could widen their
career perspectives and inspire interest in the lesser-known areas. Also Enhancing Career
Guidance, Survey responses indicate that students would benefit from additional career
guidance resources, such as workshops, guest speaker sessions, and internship
opportunities. These experiences would allow students to interact with professionals, gain
insights into various STEM careers, and understand the skills required for each field’s
success.
 A SURVEY REPORT

Performance Task in EAPP Q2

“Survey Report: How Early STEM Exposure

Influences Career Choices for Grade 12
Cadmium Students at Sariaya Institute, S.Y.
2024-2025.”

Bascoguin, Bianca
Cerrudo, Bianca Pauline L.
Lutino, Mhaya Jhowezsa S.
Perez, Jemwill Vince
Romasanta, Aljay V.

DATE SUBMITTED : November 22, 2024