DETERMINANTS OF CAREER CHOICE AMONG NEWLY ADMITTED UNDERGRADUATES’ IN UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, NIGERIA
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Date
2018-03
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Publisher
Journal of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Education (JOSTMED)
Abstract
Students (especially newly admitted undergraduates in Nigerian universities) career choice is determined by several psychosocial factors. This study examined the determinants of career choice among newly admitted undergraduates’ of University of Ilorin, Nigeria. The study also investigated whether variables of gender and age would influence respondents’ determinant of career choice. The research method adopted for this study was descriptive survey. The population of the study consisted of all newly admitted undergraduates in university of Ilorin. An instrument titled “Determinants of Career Choice Questionnaire (DCCQ)” was used to obtain data from 400 randomly selected respondents. The instrument was validated by lecturers in the Department of Counsellor Education and the reliability was ascertained using test re-test method and a coefficient of 0.80 was obtained when correlated. Percentages mean and rank order analysis, t-test and (ANOVA) were employed for analyzing the data gathered in the study. The study revealed that determinants of career choice of newly admitted undergraduate in University of Ilorin include influence of parents; school teacher/lecturer; and friends and personality match as well as self employment opportunities in the career among others. The study further revealed that there is a significant age and gender differences in the determinants of the career choice of respondents. The implication of this is that people oriented values have significant effect on individual respondent’s choice of career hence the need for a well organized pre-counselling programme for undergraduates as soon as they secure admission in to the university to assist them acquire necessary orientation. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that significant career influencers such as friend, parents, teachers/lecturers need to be equipped with correct career information through different media in order for them to guide students appropriately. Parents should also be encouraged to employ the assistance of professional career counsellors in helping their children to make intelligent career decisions irrespective of gender and age differences.
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Keywords
Career Choice, Determinant of Career, Newly Admitted Undergraduates