How careers advice and guidance can facilitate career development in technical, vocational education, and training graduates: The case in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the current state of careers advice, guidance, and counselling (CAGC) services and programmes in the technical, vocational education, and training (TVET) system of Nigerian higher education institutions (HEIs). This was to determine how well current CAGC services and programmes foster students’ career development, aspirations, and choices. Forty-eight participants, who were members of the Nigerian National Board for Technical Education (8 participants), guidance counsellors (6), university TVET teachers (18), career experts from the National Directorate of Employment (7), and newly employed TVET graduates (9), volunteered for the study. A purposeful sampling procedure was adopted to recruit participants. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview approach, and we employed a thematic design for the coding and analysis of the transcribed data. The study found no CAGC services and programmes in the TVET system. It is recommended, therefore, that TVET systems should focus on providing career development enhanced learning rather than schooling only by revising the curriculum to include programmes and activities that promote CAGC activities and programmes.