Which career should I choose? Application of a pre-university vocational guidance platform based on the Ikigai methodology

Abstract

Choosing a university degree is a crucial decision in a person's life. However, many students have chosen their career without proper counselling. Ikigai refers to a Japanese concept that tries to find a person's purpose. This research explains the implementation and results of an online platform based on the Ikigai methodology. The Ikigai methodology was implemented through a sequential process. A total of 172 schools were surveyed, involving 1,878 students. The predictive phase asked about: what participants study, interests, hobbies, the social causes that motivate them and the future professions they are interested in. Subsequently, an individual graph is generated with scores in 15 subject areas. Based on the reports, the university sends a personalised proposal of possible university degrees to each student by e-mail. The Ikigi methodology is therefore a very useful tool that allows students to improve their self-knowledge and the effectiveness of their decision-making processes, among others.