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ABSTRACT
The study assessed senior secondary school students’ willingness to undertake agriculture as career in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to; describe the socio-economic characteristics of senior secondary school students in the study area; identify the channels through which they obtain information about careers in agriculture; examine their areas of career interest in agriculture; examine their perceptions on career in agriculture; ascertain the extent of their willingness to pursue career in agriculture; identify reasons for their choice of career in agriculture and identify constraints limiting their willingness to undertake career in agriculture. A multi stage sampling procedure was adopted for the simple random sampling of 126 respondents for the study. Primary data were collected through the use of structured questionnaire designed in line with the specific objectives of the study. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as: frequency counts, simple percentages and mean scores, as well as inferential statistics such as Pearson's Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Results showed that more than half the proportion (61.9%) of senior secondary school students in the study area were male with mean age of 16 years. More than half the proportion (61.9%) of the students resided in semi-urban areas with parental occupation (28.6%) as civil service. Most (83%) of the senior secondary school students were exposed and obtain information about career in agriculture through television. Reading of agricultural textbooks (81.7%) was also found to be an important information channel. Majority (71.4%) of the students were found to be interested in livestock farming as an occupational career. The results of the study also showed that most (x̄= 4.04) of the students perceived that their participation in agriculture would enhance national development and was ranked 1 st among variables. Most (x̄= 3.17) of the students stated that the availability of different enterprises in xi agriculture that one can engage in was the reason for their choice of career in agriculture. The study also revealed that most (x̄ = 4.13) of the students identified inadequate modern practices in the agricultural industry as the major constraints limiting their willingness to undertake career in agriculture in the study area. The result showed that the students were most willing (x̄= 3.50) to acquire the relevant knowledge to pursue a career in agriculture. Revising agricultural curricula and educational programmes related to agriculture in senior secondary schools should be invested in since there is a willingness to gain knowledge in this area.
