Decolonial career guidance for responsible and self determined career choice in higher education

Abstract

This research analyzes career guidance from a decolonial perspective at the Instituto Técnico Superior INCOS Tarija, Bolivia, with the purpose of strengthening responsible and self-determined professional choice in students of technical higher education. The study is based on the problem of student dropout, the scarce curricular relevance and the limited integration of ancestral knowledge within the training processes, factors that show the permanence of colonial structures in higher education. A research was developed with a qualitative approach, of a descriptive-interpretative nature and participatory orientation, using open interviews, direct observation, reflection circles and structured questionnaires applied to first-year students. The results show high levels of academic dropout, predominance of vocational decisions influenced by external factors and a weak articulation between technical training, cultural identity and territorial context. Likewise, the students expressed interest in incorporating community knowledge and ancestral practices into their professional careers, strengthening their sense of belonging and life project. It is concluded that decolonial professional guidance is a viable alternative to reduce dropout, improve educational relevance and promote a more inclusive, critical and contextualized higher education, based on self-determination, educational justice and epistemological plurality.