Published on Mar 28, 2019
When support and attentive listeners are available, teenagers are considered lucky and in a favorable position to find the right opportunities and careers. However, this is not always the reality for everyone.
Indeed, during our field validation of the iOS version of our application, we had conversations with several teenagers and discovered that many of them struggle to find clarity regarding their future path and how to transition from high school to a specific career or major. This issue is particularly challenging when teenagers come from farming backgrounds or have parents who are not well-informed about other career opportunities available.
After completing the testing of the Trey Visay application, all 14 students expressed that it had helped them acquire information about their future careers, albeit to varying degrees. Some students had an idea of what career path to consider based on advice from friends and parents. However, they lacked a clear understanding of why they had chosen that particular path and whether it truly aligned with their interests and abilities. On the other hand, for other students, the application helped them discover which types of careers were a better fit for their personalities, providing them with newfound information and clarity.
In both cases, all the students acknowledged that the application played a significant role in providing them with test results that recommended specific career paths based on their unique personalities. Additionally, the application offered information about educational institutions to further support their decision-making process. By providing these resources, the application helped build their confidence in choosing a career path that suited them.
An Sokuntheara, a student from Hun Sen Kampong Cham High School who participated in the application testing, expressed, "The application is helpful in providing information about schools and recommendations. I already had a career path that I was interested in, but I didn't know where to go for it or how to prepare myself for that path. The application has provided guidance in these areas."
While San Thavid, a student from Choun Nat High School, mentioned that he would usually choose a career based on parental advice. However, he acknowledged that he hadn't taken the time to reflect on whether or not the chosen career aligned with his own personality and talents.
According to a research study titled "Empowering Youth in Cambodia Today" conducted by Kampuchean Action for Primary Education (KAPE), it was found that 2 out of 3 students do not have a clear goal regarding the career path they should pursue after graduating from high school.
Trey Visay is an electronic counseling application available online and offline that provides students with career information, helping them make confident decisions about their own career paths. Currently, with support from the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER), Trey Visay is available for download on Android. Additionally, under support from USAID, the program will soon be made available on iOS. To date, the application has been downloaded and used by more than 3,000 users on Android.