The relationship of participation in selected FFA activities with career choice and job satisfaction of program completers in vocational agriculture in Texas

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between participation in FFA activities and career choice and job satisfaction of program completers in vocational agriculture. The population consisted of 7,000 high school graduates in 1980 who completed programs of vocational agriculture in Texas. A cluster sampling technique was used to select randomly 100 schools in Texas offering vocational agriculture. Eighty-one instructors responded to a first or second request; they furnished 653 names and addresses of program completers. Questionnaires were sent to the 653 identified subjects. Total response was 290 (44.4 percent) with an additional five identified as deceased and three out of the country. One hundred one were; returned as undeliverable. Respondents were dichotomized as early respondents and late respondents. No significant differences between the two groups were found; thus, it was assumed that there were no differences among early respondents, late respondents, and non-respondents. The results of this study were generalized to all 1980 high school graduates in Texas who had completed a program of vocational agriculture. Major Findings: 1. Females completing programs of vocational agriculture in 1980 had increased more than fivefold from five years earlier-- 18 percent compared to 3 percent. 2. Approximately 60 percent of program completers received post secondary education. 3. Program completers of vocational agriculture had a high employment rate (99%). 4. Job satisfaction scores for program completers were high for general and intrinsic job satisfaction and average for extrinsic job satisfaction. 5. Program completers who had high levels of participation in FFA activities were more likely to enter agricultural occupations than were those who had low levels of participation. 6. Program completers who participated in a balanced program of FFA activities tended to enter agricultural occupations at a significantly higher rate than did those who had high participation in one activity. 7. There was negligible correlation between levels of participation in FFA and job satisfaction of program completers.