Impacto da dualidade educacional na escolha vocacional: uma análise das percepções de estudantes do ensino médio integrado do IFAP Campus Macapá

Abstract

This research investigates the relationship between the historical Brazilian educational duality and the vocational choices of students in the Integrated High School program at the Federal Institute of Amapá (IFAP), Macapá campus. Educational duality, characterized by the separation between training external to higher education and training directed towards technical skills for the job market, constitutes a structuring element of educational inequalities in the country. In this context, the study aimed to analyze how this duality manifests itself in students' perceptions and influences their decisions regarding the choice of integrated technical course, career expectations, and entry into higher education. The research presented a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with 12 students from the integrated technical courses in Mining and Computer Networks, distributed between first and third-year classes. The data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis, as proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006). The results indicate that the choice of technical course is influenced by multiple factors, including family expectations, socioeconomic conditions, access to information, and perceptions about job opportunities and the continuation of studies. It should also be noted that many students enter integrated high school without full knowledge of their chosen course, which can lead to adaptation difficulties, dissatisfaction, and, in some cases, an intention to drop out or change fields. On the other hand, integrated high school is also perceived by some students as a strategy for expanding educational opportunities and social mobility. The analysis showed that, even in a formative model that seeks to integrate general and technical training, a compromise remained between preparation for the job market and the project of continuing studies. As an educational product of the research, the EscolhaTec website was developed, a digital vocational guidance platform designed to support students in the process of choosing an integrated technical course. It is concluded that vocational guidance initiatives in the context of Professional and Technological Education can contribute to expanding access to information, promoting more conscious choices, and strengthening student retention and success.