The Perception and Interest of Career Choices in Agriculture: Case of Agroecotechnology and Agribusiness Students
2. Theoretical Underpinning 1. Perception
4.2. Personal And Environmental Factors That Influence The Career Choices In
Agriculture
4.2.1. The Parents Support
Parents are the first agents and forums for socialization received by a child who will occupy a position and become part of the pattern and personality of a child in everyday life (Koentjaraningrat, 2009). Parents have a significant role in the development and quality of children's learning by considering the mindset and future of their children. Law number 20 of 2003, Article 7 explained that parents played the proper role in providing information and choosing education and are obliged to provide primary education. Parental and family support was a personal factor and the primary key in obtaining success, independence, and success for a child if parents carry out their functions (Idi, 2011).
In terms of studying and having a career in agriculture, there were three categories of forms of support provided by parents in choosing to study and work in agriculture, including the following:
Table 2. The support from parents
No. Gender
The Parents'
Support Number
1 Male
Give freedom 30
Give support 9
Did not give
support 1
2. Female
Give freedom 52
Give support 8
Didn’t give
support 2
Total 102
Figure 1. Male's Perspectives 75%
22%3%
Parents’ Support (Male's Perspectives)
Give freedom Give support Didn’t give support
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id Figure 2. Female's Perspectives
From 102 participants, the data obtained from a gender perspective are as follows:
1. Male Students: 75% received support from their parents to choose the study and work in the agricultural sector (30 participants), 22% received complete support to study and work in the agricultural sector (9 participants), and 3% did not get consent to research and work in the agricultural sector (1 participant).
2. Female Students: 84% of female participants get the freedom to choose and work in the agricultural sector, 13% get full encouragement and support, and 3% 2 participants do not obtain parental consent.
Jeong et al. (2020) research findings discovered that in the case of Korean students, there were significant differences in the levels of perceived value, attachment, and agricultural career intentions, depending on the youths' genders, grades, and regions. Overall, male students were found to have higher attachment and agricultural career intentions than female students.
This study showed that, in Indonesian students' cases, female students received higher freedom to work in the agricultural sector but lower the support.
4.2.2. The Lectures Support
Support from lecturers is needed in choosing a career to work and study in agriculture.
Based on data from 102 participants, the results obtained from a gender perspective were as follows:
a. Male Students: 37 people stated that the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Brawijaya, always encourage students to learn about agriculture. Three participants believed the lecturers did not give advice or support for studying and working in the agricultural sector.
b. Female Students: 54 participants believed lecturers encourage students to learn about agriculture. Two participants stated that lecturers did not provide advice or support for studying and working in agriculture.
Meanwhile, six female participants said the lecturer did not give a vision of the agricultural sector.
Table 3. The Lecturers Support Agricultural Career Choices
No. Gender
The Lecturers'
Support Number
1 Male
Give support 37
Did not give
support/advice 3
Did not provide vision about
agriculture 0
2. Female
Give support 54
Did not give
support/advice 2
Did not provide vision about
agriculture 6
4.2.3. The Peers Support
Peer influence and support were significant in future career choices. The relationships formed affected the views and broad discussions, including career choices. According to Santrock (2007), peers influence a person in choosing a career in the future because they can share information and sources to compare the abilities and needs they want to have.
Figure 3. The Peers Support 84%
13%3%
The Parents’ SupportSupport (Female's Perspectives)
Give freedom Give support Didn’t give support
05 1015 2025 30 3540
Didn't provide… Give Support Didn't give… Didn't provide… Give Support Didn't give…
Male Female
0 28
12 3 38
21
T he Peers Support
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id Many factors influence peers in
determining future work careers. According to Cony (1998), the influencing factors included the similarity of age, situation, familiarity, cognitive development, and the size of the group owned.
Based on the data obtained, 102 participants had different views on peer support. It could be seen from the different perspectives of male and female students as follows:
1. Twenty-eight male students (27%) stated that their colleagues supported studying and working in the agricultural sector. The remaining 12 students (around 12%) indicated that their colleagues did not offer advice or support in the agricultural industry.
2. Thirty-eight female students stated that their colleagues provided support. Around 21 students responded that they did not offer advice or support. Three stated that their colleagues tried to reduce motivation.
4.2.4. Working and Internships Experiences in Agriculture
Internship and working experiences in agriculture significantly improve hard and soft skills. Professional skills and abilities increase knowledge and skills, and a long learning process could provide more value in choosing a future career in agriculture. Internship and working experiences were the main reasons for increasing personal quality, self-confidence, and self-control to increase interest in working in the agricultural sector (Haryani, 2008).
The results analysis showed that most participants chose the internship experience with 35 male participants and 50 female participants answered that it increased their interest in learning and working in agriculture. The results of the analysis were divided into two gender characteristics of male and female participants as follows:
Table 4. Working and Internships Experiences in Agriculture
Gender
Internship and working experiences
in Agriculture Number
Male
It makes me want to study and work in
agriculture 35
Lower self-motivation 1 It does not affect self-
motivation 4
Gender
Internship and working experiences
in Agriculture Number
Female
It makes me want to learn and work in
agriculture 50
Lower self-motivation 2 It does not affect self-
motivation 10
Total 102
4.2.5. Job Trend in Agriculture
The change of the agricultural paradigm from the past to modern and sustainable agriculture provided some added value for the progress of Indonesian agriculture. The emergence of new job trends in agriculture was expected to increase interest in working in agriculture. The growth and development of the agri-tech business and innovation in the modern era of industrial revolution 4.0 gave rise to new technological innovations, financial, automation, IoT, Blockchain, and remote sensing to further reflect the face of the future agriculture.
Most research participants answered that the job trend in agriculture provided self- motivation to study and work in the agricultural sector. There were 35 male participants and 51 female participants agreed. Five male and three female participants answered that job trends in agriculture reduced self-motivation to work in agriculture. Meanwhile, eight female participants responded that the agricultural industry's current trend did not motivate them to work in agriculture.
4.2.6. Agricultural Activities Participated Many activities motivated the students to study and choose the agricultural sector as a career choice in the future. It is in line with the many experiences of activities that have been followed inside and outside the campus. Examples of agricultural activities were implementing village development activities, improving sustainable agricultural areas, Village Development and Empowerment (P2D), village leaders, training, and agricultural discussions. All agricultural activities were expected to provide a holistic understanding to be ready to face the world of work relevant to the field of study. The relevance of the scientific field and career was intended to improve attitudes, behavior, expertise, and insight according to the needs of the area. According to Tritjahjo (2005), it was necessary to link and match so that later graduates could participate
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id optimally, adapt quickly, and balance the quality
of graduates. Based on the findings, different perspectives of the male and female were shown in the following diagram.
Figure 4. Male Students' Perspectives
Figure 5. Female Students' Perspectives The two diagrams above showed the differences in the effect of activities in agriculture with self-motivation in learning and choosing a career in agriculture. Male students, around 85%
(34 people), and 79% of female students(49 people) responded that their activities in the agricultural sector gave them self-motivation to choose to work in agriculture. In comparison, 2%
of male students answered that the activities reduced their self-motivation, with 3% of female students answered. As many as 13% of male and 18% of female students answered that their activities did not affect them.
4.3. The Students' Perception in Agriculture