Analysis of the Impact of Career Experience Support Centers on Students' Participation in Career Experience Activities

This study empirically analyzed the effectiveness of Career Experience Support Centers, which are operated nationwide. Established to support students' participation in career experience activities within their communities, 223 centers were in operation as of June 2022. The primary function of these centers is to support schools in facilitating career experience activities by identifying career experience sites within the community and connecting them with schools. This study aimed to verify the effective operation of these Career Experience Support Centers by examining whether their use by schools influences students' participation in career experience activities. Data for the analysis were derived from responses of third-grade in middle school students to the 'Survey on the Status of Career Education in Primary and Secondary Schools,' conducted by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET). Based on survey responses from students, parents, career guidance teachers, school administrators, and homeroom teachers, school- and student-level variables were identified. To determine whether the use of Career Experience Support Centers by schools and the satisfaction with these centers influence students' participation in career experience activities, a multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted. The analysis revealed that the use of Career Experience Support Centers by schools has a statistically significant effect on students' participation in career experience activities. Additionally, satisfaction with the centers positively impacts students' participation. It was found that the likelihood of students engaging in career experience activities increases by 1.4 times with the use of the centers and by 1.7 times with high satisfaction. Based on the analysis results, this study suggests enhancing the status and functions of Career Experience Support Centers and calls for an objective assessment of these centers' operational performance.