CAREER GUIDANCE SERVICES AND CAREER CHOICE AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined career guidance services and career choice among Senior Secondary School students in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives which examined the influence of career appraisal service, career placement service and career follow-up service on students’ career choice. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of 32,980 Senior Secondary Two (SS II) students in 256 public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State. A sample of 200 students was selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Career Guidance Services and Career Choice Questionnaire (CGSCCQ). The instrument was validated by experts in the Department of Guidance and Counselling, University of Uyo, Uyo. The reliability coefficients obtained using Cronbach Alpha were 0.83 for career appraisal service, 0.81 for career placement service and 0.80 for career follow-up service, with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.82. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that career appraisal service, career placement service and career follow-up service significantly influenced career choice among Senior Secondary School students in Akwa Ibom State. The study concluded that effective career guidance services enhance students’ ability to make appropriate and realistic career choices. It was recommended, among others, that secondary schools should strengthen career guidance programmes through regular appraisal activities, placement support and follow-up services to improve students’ career development.