Effect of Gender-Role Stereotyping on Secondary School Students Career Aspirants in Nasarawa State

The study explored the effects of gender-role stereotyping on Secondary School students’ career aspirations in Nasarawa State, deploying the descriptive survey research design. It aimed at examining the knowledge of career requirements among the students by identifying perceptions associated with female and male gender affiliations. Data for the study was collected from 1400 respondents (Senior Secondary Schools III students). The data was analysed using simple percentages «tnd frequency counts. The study found out that the respondents were knowledgeable about career choice requirements as well as the relevant subject combinations that would lead them to those careers. It was also realized from the data that gender stereotypes were glaring and significant. The data showed that the most popular career for male respondents was law, while female respondents choose medicine. On the Other hand, data established that the least preferred careers for females were aviation and computer Sciences, while that of theTnales was design-fabrics. Regardless of gender, the most popular careers among the respondents were medicine and law. Female respohdentS were generally more inclined towards careers that were biological - science based, whereas male stlidentS’ preferences leaned more heavily towards the physical sciences. The list of preferred choices therefore points out marked gender disparity in certain career aspirations! The study recommends that parents, governments and other stakeholders need to encourage female students to aspire for science and technology related careers at Secondary School level to enable them • — compete favorably with their male counterpart. The study further recommends that school counsellors in Secondary Schools should be implored to help students change their perceptions about some careers that are perceived to be either male or fenlale dominated and that Secondary School principals should organise career weeks and field excursions exclusively for the S.S. Ill students so as to imptove their self-efficacy level and to train them to perceive all careers as possible for males and females to attain.