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Career Aspirations of Undergraduate Students in University of Ibadan: an Implication on Their Emotional Health

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RESEARCH PROPOSAL ON CAREER ASIPRATIONS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN NIGERIA:AN IMPLICATION ON THEIR EMOTIONAL HEALTH. BY UZONDU IJEOMA JOAN 166250 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 1 BACKGROUND Career choice or aspiration is one of the most important decisions that individuals irrespective of race or socio demographic background will have to make at a fairly early stage in their lives. Since society defines individuals in terms of their occupations, one’s career becomes a very important source of a personal identity.

Deciding on one’s life course is a process that must happen early in life if one is to make any useful impact to himself, family, and to society at large. Career can be considered as the way the individual expresses himself and relates to society through life. Popoola (2004) sees it as a job, or profession for which one undergoes regulated education and training over a period of time and which one intends to follow for the whole of one’s life. It is a chosen pursuit, life work and success in one’s profession. Career is the sequence of major positions occupied by a person throughout his or her lifetime.

It is the totality of work one does in one’s lifetime and it is person centered. Career also is a meaningful progression on a person’s working life or a course pursued over a period of time. The choice of an occupation may determine one’s employment status (Hoppock, 1967). In some instances, based on occupational choices, one can either be in irregular employment or in one that is both stable and secure. Whereas some careers choices may be less secure during economic downturns, others may even be secure during such times (Hoppock, 1967).

Different occupations have different demands and success is determined by the ability to deliver results. Therefore if individuals choose careers for which one is not suited, and he is not able to deliver, they are considered failures. Work is not just a matter of earning a living. Since it may be a life-long commitment, it is essential that people enjoy their work. If an individual is in a job he does not enjoy and is forced to just go through the motions for the sake of earning a living, life will certainly be miserable (Hoppock, 1967).

Therefore it is essential for one to measure their emotional and psychological fitness and disposition for a particular job. Other aspects of a person’s life may also be determined by ones occupation since it gives structure to a person’s life. It may for example influence where one will live, the kind of company one will keep, place where the children will attend school and the frequency with which the family may move from place to place (Hoppock, 1967). Choosing a career path or course of action essentially boils down to a career decision-making process.


The presence or absence of work is perhaps the most important pivotal point in a human’s life. In Nigeria, many youths choose unsuitable careers due to ignorance, inexperience, peer pressure, advice from parents, friends, or even as a result of the “importance” attached to a particular profession (Salami, 1999). This leads to most of them being unsuited for their careers because they tend to find themselves in jobs where they can’t satisfy their value needs. This breeds dissatisfaction among them as well and their employers.

They are usually unable to contribute meaningfully to the society and ultimately become a liability to the nation at large. Vocational choice and factors influencing it has been examined among secondary and university students in Nigeria. For instance, Onijigin (2009) investigates the determinants of career aspiration among 600 secondary school students in Ekiti State, Nigeria while Awujo (2007) carried out similar study among 410 secondary school students in Rivers State Nigeria.

Factors like financial benefit, prestige of the profession, job security and child-rearing pattern are found to be influencing future career choice of respondents in both studies. The focus of studies by Osiruemu (2007) and Kinanee (2009) are on career decision-making determinants among female genders in Nigeria. While Osiruemu investigates the barriers to the choice of women occupation in Warri, Nigeria, Kinamee examined the determinants of career decision making among nurses in Rivers State Nigeria.

Currently there is little evidence looking at the relationship between career aspiration, mental health and unemployment. 1. 2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The career development process in many Nigerian universities is of great importance not only to the students but to the society as a whole, and so this process needs to be taken with full cognizance of one’s potential and career options available. Career planning is vital for the workforce development in any society.

However, there seems to be no coordinated efforts on how to guide students towards achieving their career aspirations in future, moreover, little is known about the occupational plans and aspirations as well as the career development process and choice of students at the University of Ibadan. Job satisfaction is one of several factors whose influence on health has been thought to be highly significant. It is direct manifestations of the type of work that people do, and is linked to participation in the labor force. In terms of the broader social determinants in health, career aspirations have een hypothesized to play a pivotal role and absence of work in the form of unemployment produces considerable negative health effects. Little research has been done to document these issues as a result this study has been designed to help in fill the gap by providing information on the career aspirations of undergraduate students of University of Ibadan in relation to their choice of course and the factors surrounding these choices. 1. 3 JUSTIFICATION Career decision making and choice are important factors in determining the future occupations students will settle for after schooling.

A good proportion of qualified students after school may be unemployed not because of lack of opportunities but because of lack of fit between their qualifications and existing job opportunities. This study will seek to compare the career aspirations and intentions of the students with their course of study which will be related to factors surrounding their choice of course and the result gotten maybe useful in orientating students generally on career decision making process and specification towards occupational categories that are experiencing growth and expansion within the Nigerian economy.

Gender, ethnicity and housing, unemployment, career satisfaction and development all impact on health, but they also all interact with each other to determine overall health. However, the way these interactions work is not well understood. Work and employment status is an important element of social difference, Since there is dearth in information, this study will provide a good opportunity to make available information on career aspirations of undergraduate students and this will contribute significantly to the literature on youth career decision making process and factors that significantly influence those decisions.

This information will be useful in providing a body of literature for reference and this will be a basis for formulating interventions geared towards revamping career guidance programs in universities and also training programs targeting parents and school authorities so as to mentor the students in their journey of career development. Similarly, it can lead to development of appropriate information sources for reference to the students. These category of students were chosen because they are about to face their professional career choice. 4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS The study will seek to answer the following questions: 1) Why are students studying their current courses? 2) Are their current courses their choice of course? 3) What are the career aspirations of undergraduate students in university of Ibadan? 4) Are their courses related to their future career aspirations? 1. 5 STUDY OBJECTIVES 1. 5. 1 BROAD OBJECTIVES * To investigate the career aspiration of undergraduate students in University of Ibadan. 1. 5. 2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES To assess the reasons why students are studying their current course * To determine the number of students studying their choice of course * To identify the career aspirations in students * To assess the relationship between course of study and career aspirations CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 CONCEPT OF CAREER Career is a very important fact of one’s life which dominates the greater portion of his or adult life. It becomes part of a person’s identity and so needs to be well thought out and well planned which should be a well guided process because of its important aspect of our being.

According to kinanee (2004), career is the sum total of an individual’s vocation or job or even the entire work a person does in his life time. Sometimes people equate a career to ones occupation or work. Career aspirations involve an ambitious plan or desire in pursuit of a profession or occupation or course. Obviously, this means that career aspiration has a lot to do with a person’s ambition, plan and desire towards a particular goal. Career preparation in student is an important precursor for successful career development across the life span of an individual which relates to its adjustment and well being (skorikov 2007).

Aspirations refers to an individual’s expressed career related goals or intentions and also include motivational components which are not present in mere interests (Silvia 2001). Career aspirations of youth have been viewed as significant determinants of both educational and long term career choices. (Mau & Bikos, 2000; Schoon & Parsons 2002; Patton & Creed 2007). Career aspirations are also regarded as important career motivational, variables which are predictive of latter career attainment levels. Traditional theories of career development propose that career aspirations develop in specific stages from childhood to adulthood.

According to Ginsberg (1952), young adolescents from ages eleven to fourteen (11-14) has tentative choices based on interests but with little attention to realistic constraints. By the age of fourteen to twenty-four (14-24), adolescents are in the exploration stage with progressive narrowing of career options from identifying tentative options to making final decisions regarding career choice. Gottfredson’s (2002) theory asserts that at the age of fourteen, students begin to adjust their career aspirations to factors of personal self and compromise their options to more realistic factors (Hirschi 2010).. 2 CAREER ASPIRATIONS OF STUDENT The purpose of the university education in Nigeria has long been identified by the Federal Government of Nigeria (1981; 2004) in her national policy on education as the process that helps the whole man develop physically, mentally, morally and technologically to enable him/her function effectively in any environment that he/she may find himself/herself so as to become more productive, self- fulfilling and attain self-actualization.

Specifically, the national policy on education further stipulates that higher education in Nigeria aims at the following: • The acquisition of development and inculcation of proper value orientation for the survival of the individual and society; • The development of the intellectual capacities of individuals to understand and appreciate their environments; • The acquisition of both physical and intellectual skills, which will enable individuals to develop into careful members of the community; and • The acquisition of an objective view of the local and external environment

Students in universities have various career aspirations and plans that they would really want to pursue after graduating and also occupational goals for the long term. Although some would wish to proceed for their master degrees programs and then further attain the philosophy of science degree (Phd) but on the other hand others would wish to enter into the job market immediately. In a study 232 form three students from Kereri and Nyabururu College in Kisi district Kenya, Obonyo (1994), more than half (56%) intended to proceed to university, 38% middle level colleges and 6% for kereri opt for employment.

In a similar study by Kibera (1993), deduced although from well staffed and better equipped school even those who were in public and private schools would favor the salaried jobs option than their national school counterparts. Another important aspect of career aspiration is the type of job student would prefer, results shown from research tend to suggest that secondary school students would like to associate themselves with high status career among which are Law, Medicine, and Managerial positions.

Oladejo (1977) and Kibera (1993) reported that generally, most students would not wish to enter into either unskilled, semi-skilled or artisan related jobs. They have high expectations and would opt for professional occupational categories as opposed to the semi-skilled cadres. And with regards to career expectations, the most important careers for the students in both were Nursing (32%) for Nyaburu and (30%) for Kereri, followed by Medicine (23:13), Teaching (2:16), Law (14:8), Accountancy (10:6) and secretarial (2:8) (Obonyo, 1994). Another study conducted in Nigeria according to Oladejo (1977) reveals that 81. percent out of sample of 353 students’ aspire to pursue higher education while 27 or 6. 5 percent aspire to enter the labour market. Twenty five or 5% expressed a desire to enter the labour force and continue with further studies on a part time basis underscoring the importance the group attached to further studies. Similar findings in a study conducted among secondary school students in Kisumu municipal of Kenya on perceptions of career aspirations involving a sample of 237 male and female students, the importance of disciplines like Law and Medicine again comes to the fore.

Among male students, the most important career options were Law (21. 1%), Medicine (15. 2%), Engineering (15. 2%), and Teaching jobs (7. 2%). The least important among males were design (1. 3%), Architecture (1. 7%), and Computer Engineering (1. 7%). Among female students, Medicine was the most preferred option attracting 24. 4 percent of all the female pupil, others are Law (13%), Nursing (12. 2%), Journalism (11. 3%), Accountancy (9. 2%), Teaching (8. 8%) whereas the least favored are Aviation (0. 4%), Computer Engineering (0. 4%) and Architecture (0. 8%).

Nyanjom (2007), obtained finding that reflects nearly the same findings as the foregoing studies. According to her research whose purpose was to investigate the extent to which career guidance services provided in secondary schools influenced student career choices, the top five preferred occupations were Medicine 33 percent, Teaching 31 percent, Business Management 27 percent, Law 22 percent and Engineering 14 percent. The total sample size was 1030 students. It can be concluded generally that the students prefer Medicine, Law and Teaching across the board whereas the majority also tend to disfavor Architecture and Computer studies which ctually appear in the low rank category. Sax (1994) examines students’ initial interest in scientific careers, factors influencing career choice during college, and how these factors differ between men and women. Men who abandon career aspirations appear to be driven by financial concerns whereas women who decide not to pursue specific career appear more concerned with the social good of their career choice. Ferry (2006), asserts that adolescent occupational choice is influenced by many factors, including life context, personal aptitudes, and educational attainment.

He contends further that whether college-bound or work-bound, meeting the challenge of this developmental milestone is critical in adolescents’ lives. Each individual undertaking the process is influenced by many factors, including the context in which they live, their personal aptitudes, and education attainment (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Capara, and Pastorelli 2001). Students all over the world are usually faced with the task of career decision taking. The choice of careers, subjects, and course of study in schools and of subsequent path to follow, are always difficult problems facing prospective undergraduates.

Often, choosing the right subject combination leading to the right profession can make the difference between enjoying and detecting the career in future. Dedicating oneself to career choices that are unattainable leads to frustration. 2. 3 REASONS FOR CHOICE OF COURSE AMONG STUDENTS In this section, review is done to document what has been discovered with regards to the reasons why the students in previous researches have chosen the specific occupations and also their plans immediately they complete secondary school.

According to Nyanjom (2007), among the students whom preferred employment after school, the main reasons were due to the fact that they lacked capital to start a business (36. 7%), prospect of being promoted to higher grades (23. 3%) and the opportunity to earn allowances (15. 4%). In a study by Obonyo (1994), those who wanted to work immediately after high school talked about the need to support their parents, role modeling by their older siblings and also the need to have a brighter future (Obonyo, 1994).

In a study by Nyanjom (2000), besides reasons relating to whether they intended to proceed with higher education or go into employment, the students also provided reason for choosing specific career options. Among the most significant reasons for choice of a particular career, the student mentioned the possibility of further studies 60 percent for 844 students. The other important reasons included the need to use special talents (44. 8%), the fact that the occupation is interest (40. 4%) opportunity for creativity (32. 6%), opportunity to work with others (27. %), ease of availability of free time (11. 7%) and absence of supervision (6%). Additionally, Nyanjom (2007) documented some interested findings that arose for various specific careers. Among those who wanted to study Medicine, the main motivations were the desire to help save lives, prestige and the availability of employment opportunities after graduation or marketable of the course. Among those who chose teaching as a career, the unique reasons were to help reduce illiteracy and help promote the progress of the country.

Those who opted for business or entrepreneurship mentioned the need to be self-employed, their good performance in business oriented subject sand the realization of a life dream (Nyanjom 2007). Furthermore, those who wanted to be Lawyer in future talked about prestige that comes with legal qualifications as well as encouragement from family members. Finally, those who would go into Engineering also talk about the passion for mathematics and physics, the fact that Engineering is interesting and encouragement from family and relatives too, (Nyanjom 2007). 2. THEORIES OF CAREER CHOICES According to the wide variety of research available, most theories agreed that there many factors that go into the selection of a career. The choices a person make, the value holds, the successes and failures a person experience, the social class in which a person has developed, and the interests, strengths, and capacities of the person all go into this decision. In other words, career aspiration is a product of heredity and environment, and the person’s self-concept was vitally important in that decision (Herr, 1970; Hewer, 1963; Super, 1957).

The choice of career is, therefore, not merely a decision of a moment: it is complex and difficult process that spans a number of years (Ginzberg, Ginsberg, Axelrad, & Herma 1951), if not a lifetime. 2. 4. 1 SOCIAL COGNITIVE CAREER DEVELOPMENT THEORY One comprehensive and dynamic career theory that incorporates many aspects of career development is the Social Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown & Hackett 1994). The SCCT was derived from Bandura’s (1977, 1986, 1997) social cognitive theory, which stressed the importance of self-efficacy and one’s choice of behavior.

According to Bandura (1986), individuals choose to engage in or avoid a specific task based on their self-judgment of their capability in accomplishing the task. Therefore self-efficacy is task or domain-specific confidence. Bandura also stated that four factors influenced one’s self-efficacy; verbal persuasion, vicarious learning, task performance, and physiological arousal. Among the four, task performance that is the actual trial of the task is the most powerful influencing factors.

The SCCT (Lent et al, 1994) proposes that career choice behavior is shaped by outcome expectancies, career interests, and career self-efficacy and that career self-efficacy play a mediating role between one’s background and interest and one’s outcome expectancies. Moreover, career self-efficacy is influenced both by individual variants (i. e. predisposition, gender, race/ethnicity, health status) and by contextual factors such as family background and learning experiences. The theory emphasizes the interactive influence of contextual factors and cognitive person variables on individual career development (Lent, Brown, & Hackett 2000).

In this career development model, one’s background for contextual factors and individual characteristics would influence one’s learning experiences and consequently, self-efficacy. Self-efficacy then would influence one’s interest and outcome expectation, which would eventually influence one’s career choice. Lent et al. (2000) further asserted that objective and perceived aspects of the environment may have direct and moderating effects on career decision making. Examples of objective environmental factors are the quality of ducational experiences and the financial support available to individuals’ reaction to and how they interpret their surrounding environment, (that is if they view their environment as a source of support or barriers). The mediating role of self efficacy among background and interests, outcome expectations, and career choices in relation to career development has been supported by previous research (Betz, 1993, 1999; Lent & Brown 2002). Lent, Brown, Schmidt, et al. (2003) found that environmental factors influence career choice only through their impact on self-efficacy.

Similarly, Lent, Brown, Nota, and Soresi (2003) found that perceived social support and barriers significantly affected self-efficacy and indirectly had an effect on career choice through changes in self-efficacy. In terms of impact of objective background factors on self-efficacy and career choice, Nauta and Epperson (2003) found in longitudinal study that years in school and the number of science and math courses taken in high school were positively related to the choice of science and math as majors when entering college.

Also exposure to work experiences and learning environments also has been proven to measurably influence an individual’s level of educational aspirations (Rottinghaus, Lindley, Green, & Borgen 2002). 2. 5 FACTORS RELATING TO EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER INTENTIONS OF STUDENTS There are various factors that have been identified to relate significantly with the educational, post-graduation and career intentions of secondary students. Among these factors are genders, age, parents’ socio-economic status (SES), parents’ occupation, school type, performance in examinations and perceived self-efficacy.

Some of these factors to be discussed include: 2. 5. 1 GENDER Among the factors that relates significantly to career aspirations, gender is a prominent one. In a study by Obura (2007), female students were more inclined towards biological science whereas male students were had a leaning towards the physical sciences. Whereas Medicine, Law and Nursing were more popular among female students, Law, Medicine, and Engineering were more popular among the male students. Less popular were Design, Architecture, and Computer science. There also appear to emerge gender stereotyping of some careers.

Whereas subject such as Nursing and Journalism were stereotyped as predominantly female, Engineering, Architecture, Aviation, Business, Computer science and armed forces were perceived as being male careers. The most stereotyped courses however were Nursing and Engineering in which were considered female and male dominant respectively whereas those considered gender neutral were Law, Design, Medicine, and Teaching. Further, Obura (2007) reports that 59. 7 percent of males hoped to join careers that were considered stereotypically neutral compared to 63. percent of females. Females who reported interest in careers that were stereotyped as feminine were nearly four times more than males who considered joining the same careers. Kibera (1993) also had interesting findings with regard to gender and career and educational aspirations. In mixed schools, a comparison between male and female students, the latter were found to have both low educational expectations and career aspirations compared to the former. Whereas the males preferred to proceed to university, the females would rather opt for job training.

Males were also more likely to prefer professional jobs compared to females who preferred clerical jobs. Similar findings were obtained by Oladejo (1977) who revealed that among students who preferred construction related courses, 31 males against 3 females aspired to do Architecture; 40 males against 4 females Engineering. For those who preferred medical related courses, 45 males compared to 10 females desired to enroll in Medicine whereas only 5 females and no males were considering joining Nursing.

Therefore, even though the data clearly revealed a disposition of secondary students towards professional categories, there were clear gender differences (Oladejo, 1977). 2. 5. 2 TYPE OF SCHOOL ATTENDED The type of school attended seems to influence career choice and educational plans of school students in that students from well staffed as well equipped schools tend to have preference for university education compared to their counterparts from well less, well endowed schools. For instance, Kibera (1993) found out that there was difference in students’ career choice based on the types of schools they attended.

Even though secondary school students in kibera study generally preferred to proceed with higher education as opposed to entering into employment, when type of school is used, those in and private schools tend to have more preference for salaried employment compared to those in national. Similarly, using the variable of schools being boarding or day school reveals that boarders preferred university education compared to non-borders who preferred to train for jobs (Kibera, ibid). The non-borders or day scholars also had greater inclination towards salaries employment and self-employment.

Comparison between single sex and co-educational schools also reveal some differences. Slightly higher proportions of students from co-educational schools tend to prefer self-employment as opposed to those in same single sex schools, irrespective of their gender. 2. 6 SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IN CAREER CHOICE DECISIONS Choosing a career by the individual is one of the most important, yet difficult decisions to make in a life time, since everyone reserves that right to make the choice. In modern society, every individual always had concern for this need though dealing with it without a real understanding of how individuals make their choice.

The child dreams of what to become in future but finds out in time that the goals to be attained in life changed just as the preferred career became largely influenced by what is possible to be done. The individual looks forward to a fulfillment in a chosen career by its reward system, although the rewards are not the same for everyone. Some are into careers so as to be looked up to; others derive great satisfaction from a job well done. Career choice is one of the most important decisions in the life of an individual.

It has far-reaching implications on the individual’s future in terms of lifestyle, status, income, security and job satisfaction. Although personal philosophy, achievement and self-image are important factors in this decision, the external environment is also very influential in characterizing career and shaping aspirations. The values an individual holds, the successes and failures he experiences, the social class in which he has developed and his interests, strengths and capacities are only some of the factors which could affect his selection of a career.

Thus, career choice is not merely a decision of a moment but a complex and difficult process spanning years, if not a lifetime (Ginzberg, Aelrad and Herma, 1951). There are many theories on career aspirations and choice, each emphasizing the organised and systematic provision of information needed to help individuals evaluate their personal experiences and aspirations so as to make an intelligent career choice. Holland (1997), for instance, holds the view that people in a particular profession have peculiar characteristics regarding social and developmental needs.

These motivate them to create an environment reflecting not only their needs and personalities, but also one in which their skills, abilities, attitudes and values are accepted. Six occupational environments and six matching models of personal orientation namely the Realistic, Intellectual, Social, Conforming, Artistic and Enterprising were proposed. These underscored career interests and preferences as parts of the total personality of the individual. To understand the role of occupation in the life of the individual demands a prior understanding of that particular individual and his needs.

Hoppock (1976) posits that an individual chooses more effectively if he knows his abilities; that fulfillment of his needs are crucial in job satisfaction and that occupational choice reflects one’s personality and needs. This stresses the influence of psychological, social and economic factors in occupational choice. The individual chooses an occupation which best meets his strongest needs ranging from social, psychological to economic. This choice improves once he is able to predict how well a prospective occupation can satisfy his needs.

Job satisfaction depends on the extent to which an individual’s occupational needs meet those needs that he considered most important. Thus, an individual’s need is one of the determining factors in career choice. Other factors include important people in our lives, parents, admired works, working experiences and peer influence. The occupation makes possible the playing of a role appropriate to the self-concepts since every occupation requires a characteristic pattern of abilities, interest and personality traits with tolerance wide enough to allow a variety of occupations for each individual and a variety of individuals in each occupation.

The selection of an occupation constitutes an implementation of the self-concept construct, requiring a person to recognize himself as a distinctive individual and to be aware of the similarities between him and others. Thus, knowledge of self is crucial in making an adequate and wise choice; suggesting that career choice is developmental in nature; and not an event, which occurs at a particular point in time. Career choice can also be influenced by interest; as students often indicate that they would like an ‘interesting’ job.

Interests are, of course, very personal; to the extent that two people may be interested in the same activity for quite different reasons. Such features as mental stimulation, sense of achievement, excitement and using one’s abilities are central to the description of a career that is interesting. Some effects of interests on career choice are that an interest may be significant in it and therefore be vital to career choice. It can also point to jobs where similar satisfactions can be derived.

Indeed, occupations can be grouped together where they have common interest elements, though one does not need to satisfy all of one’s interests in a job; since some will be achieved through external activities. An individual’s skills and interests are, however, only a part of the picture when making choices about what to do in future. Other factors influencing choice include one’s values and temperament. An individual’s scale of value is usually based on his belief and attitudes about what he considers as important in life.

Thus, if one’s values match closely those of his work or colleagues’, one is likely to feel a sense of pride in the chosen career and therefore be happy to devote time and energy to it. However, it is important to note that value systems do change over time such that what is considered as appropriate today may cease to be so in five or ten years’ time. At any rate, values do become more important as one gets older. Examples of values include autonomy, authority, variety, services, economic reward, prestige, social interaction and creativity.

Temperament is the aspects of an individual’s personality usually expressed by the style in which he deals with people and approaches tasks. It does not only influence one’s feelings and emotions, it also determines how one reacts in various situations. Thus, career choice is a complicated process while the concept of career is changing. Students all over the world are usually faced with the Herculean task of career decision taking. The choice of careers, subjects and courses of study in schools and of subsequent paths to follow are always difficult problems facing prospective undergraduates.

Often, choosing the right subject combination leading to the right profession can make the difference between enjoying and detesting the career in future. Dedicating oneself to career choices that are unattainable leads to frustration. Thus, many Nigerians regard work either as a mere source of livelihood or as a means to an end rather than an end in itself, one which has its own in-built satisfaction and satisfactoriness, and as an opportunity for expressing one’s talents or creative potentialities.

Bad attitude to work and its attendant problem of minimum productivity becomes rampant. The net effect of this untoward situation results in the crippling of the nation’s economy. In fact, it has been observed that many Nigerian youths go into unsuitable careers because of ignorance, inexperience, peer pressure, advice from friends, parents and teachers or due to the prestige attached to certain jobs without adequate vocational guidance and career counseling (Salami,1999).

Consequently, many youths are most unsuited for their careers as they usually find themselves in jobs where they could not satisfy their value needs. When this occurs, they constitute nuisance to themselves and their employers. They are usually unable to contribute meaningfully to the society and ultimately become liability to the nation. 2. 7 CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Ginzberg’s (1951) studied career development and found out that the irreversible effects in the individual are due to investments of time, money and ego.

Following these investments, a career decision is made when an individual arrives at a compromise between interests, capacities, values and opportunities. Ginzberg’s (ibid) career development process occurs over a span of about 10 years and is broken down into three periods. The first period, fantasy choices, is influenced much by the child’s wish to be an adult (Ginzberg et al. 1951). Next is tentative choices, a period determined first by interests, then capacities, and finally values (Ginzberg et al. 1951).

Realistic choices, the last period of career development, begins at age 17, and involves exploratory, crystallization and specification phases (Ginzberg et al. 1951). Osipow (1968) describes this process in terms of the development of specific behaviors such as the ability to perform the reality testing task, the development of a mature time perspective, the ability to delay the gratification of desires, the ability to compromise, and the ability to identify with appropriate adult models. In order for mature career behavior to occur these abilities must be met by adolescence (Osipow, 1968).

If they are not, the individual will be dissatisfied with his career choice and pursuit of a career (Osipow, 1968). 2. 8 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The PRECEDE PROCEED MODEL will be applied and it is an acronym which stands for predisposing, reinforcing and enabling causes in educational categories and evaluation. This model was developed by Green and Kreuter (1999). It is a planning model which helps and guides programmers to implement a step by step approach to solving population Health needs and problems.

The concept of this model unlike any other model has a different starting point to Behaviour change Planning. The Precede- Proceed Model firsts identify the desired behaviour change outcome then will commence intervention from outcome using research at every stage to the planning and implementation stage. The planning model identifies target population needs or problems, factors contributing to such problems, available resources and using appropriate combine strategies to address such identified needs and the Health problems. (National Cancer Institute 2005)

The precede proceed model in relation to other models is better in terms of looking at the macro level of the individual rather than an individual alone, the models used in other literatures for career aspiration intervention of students were largely education model, the precede proceed is a health promotion planning model with component of Health education inclusive that takes a wider perspective in prescribing other factors like Policy regulation, predisposing factors, enabling factors and Health education that can improve career aspirations intervention for students in the university.

This model explains that every behavior or action is ‘caused’ and this could be antecedent factors or underlying factors. The model comprises of three factors which are predisposing factors; enabling factors and Reinforcing factors. The factors are called the behavioral antecedent factors. 2. 7. 1 PREDISPOSING FACTORS These are behavioral antecedent factors that make any given health-related behavior more or less likely to occur. They are factors which must be present before a behavior decision can take place.

It includes awareness, attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs of university students of Ibadan in relation to their career aspirations. These factors will be used to understand better their reasons behind their choice of course and career aspirations. In terms of awareness, their knowledge and understanding of their career aspiration will help connote if it is in line with their present course of study. Their attitudes also are their disposition towards their career aspirations and their attitudes towards their choice of course is linked.

Perception has to do with how much importance is attached to their career aspirations and this goes a long way in helping them on their path of career development. Belief in their career aspiration is another factor that motivates them towards achieving it. 2. 7. 2 ENABLING FACTORS These are factors which make behaviors more or less likely to occur; the enabling factors are present before a behavioral decision takes place. They include cost of education, skills, supportive policies and services available. 2. 7. 3 REINFORCING FACTORS

These have to do with the influence of significant other such as family members, friends, peer group, mass media. Family members can influence the choice of course being studied or career aspirations path. Influence of friends also applies this principle. The mass media both the print media which includes newspapers, magazines, books, journals, and the electronic media which includes television and radio stations do also play substantial roles in directing a student towards achieving his or her career aspirations through the influences of these significant others.

PREDISPOSING FACTORS KNOWLEDGE: Their knowledge about opportunities in a career choice AGE: Some jobs are age specific BELIEF: Student’s belief about their career aspirations will influence their choice of career RELIGION: some religion practices do influence career aspirations Fig 1- Precede Proceed Adapted Model Health PromotionRE-INFORCING FACTORS * Influence of friends * Influence of peer group * Influence of family members QUALITY LIFE (Behaviour Change Maintained) Behaviour and Lifestyle: career aspiration is achieved Health Education ENABLING FACTORS

Cost: some due to lack of finance may not study course of choice Time: due to duration of come courses, students may not want to study a 7year course when they can easily get a 4year course and move on. School policy: students meeting cut off mark or not influences also their choice of course and aspirations Policy regulations organization | Adapted From – (Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) 2005) CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1 STUDY DESIGN This study will be a descriptive survey which will focus on the career aspirations of undergraduate students of university of Ibadan.

The study design will be a cross-sectional social survey which shall be interested in collecting data on the situation of student’s career aspirations. It will not be to investigate any time influences on career intentions. The cross-sectional survey is chosen because it is more appropriate in natural settings such as where I will conduct my study by collecting information at one point in time on several variables such as age, choice of present course and career aspirations thus increasing the external validity of the study (Frankfort-Nachmias, 1996). 3. 2 SCOPE OF STUDY

The scope of this study will be limited to undergraduate students of university of Ibadan because this target group will be out in the labor market soon and this study will help identify their aspirations in terms of career both long term and short term. 3. 3 STUDY AREA The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian University, and is located five miles (8 kilometers) from centre of the major city of Ibadan in Oyo state in western Nigeria. It has over 12,000 students. The origins of University are in Yaba College, founded in 1932 in Yaba, Lagos as the first tertiary educational institute in Nigeria.

Yaba College was transferred to Ibadan, which was later named University of Ibadan, in 1948. The University was founded on its own site on 17th November, 1948. The site of the University was leased to the colonial authorities by Ibadan native chiefs for 999 years. The first students began studying in January that same year. Author Creech Jones, then secretaries of states for colonies inaugurated the then new educational institution. The University was originally instituted as an independent external college of the University of London, and then it was called the University College, Ibadan.

Some of the original buildings were designed by the English modernist architects Maxwell Frey and Jane Drew. A 500-bed teaching hospital was added in 1957. The University of Ibadan became an independent university in 1962. In late 1963, on the University playing fields, with the celebration marked by talking drums, the then Rt. Hon. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, first Prime Minister of independent Nigeria, became the first Chancellor of its independent University. The first Nigeria vice chancellor of the university was Kenneth Dike, after whom the University of Ibadan’s library was named.

Besides the college of Medicine, there are now thirteen other facilities: FACULTIES in University of Ibadan 1. Agriculture 2. Arts 3. Basic Medical Sciences 4. Clinical Sciences 5. Dentistry 6. Education 7. Law 8. Pharmacy 9. Public Health 10. Sciences 11. Social Sciences 12. Technology 13. Veterinary Medicine 3. 4 STUDY POPULATION The study population will consist of undergraduate students from the faculties stated above. 3. 5 EXCLUSION CRITERIA The faculty of Public Health will be excluded due to the fact that it is a faculty for master’s study alone.. 6 DETERMINATION OF SAMPLE SIZE The sample size will be determined using Lwanga and Lemeshow (1991) sample size formula: n=Z? 2 p (1-P) d2 Where n = minimum sample size required Z = standard normal deviation at 5% (standard value 1. 96) P = proportion of undergraduate students D = absolute deviation from true value (degree of accuracy) 5% n = 1. 962×0. 5×0. 5 = 384. 16. 384 0. 052 A non-response rate of 10% of 384= 384? 10 = 38 100 3. 7 SAMPLING PROCEDURES A multistage sampling technique will be used for this study which includes stages

Stage 1: determine the number of facilities in the university Stage 2: determine the number of each department in each faculty Stage 3: determine the total number of undergraduate students in each department Stage 4: the faculty with the highest number of departments will be purposively selected using the purposively sampling technique. 3. 8 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION Data will be obtained using the quantitative method of data collection which entails five sections including the socio demographic status of the student.

The self-response questionnaire method will be used to get information on personal characteristics, career planning attitudes, career aspirations, and choice of course as well as basic demographic and socio-economic characteristics of respondents. Instruments for the collection of data will be developed through adaptation of already existing measures where these exist and creation of new ones where none exist or where those that exist are inadequate. Data collected shall be clearly grouped based on departments used and they will be reviewed for any anomalies so that any corrective measures can be undertaken as quickly as possible.

Each category of faculty shall be allocated a quota of the total sample and it is from these that information shall be collected. 3. 8. 1 INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION For the Quantitative Data Collection the Self Administered semi-structured Questionnaire will be used For the Qualitative Data Collection Focus Group Discussion Guide will be used 3. 8. 2 VALIDITY AND REALIABILTY OF THE STUDY VALIDITY OF INSTRUMENTS Validity describes the ability of an instrument to measure what it is expected to measure.

The input of my research Supervisor and lecturers in the Department of Health Promotion and Education will be used to enhance the face validity of all the instruments. RELIABILITY OF INSTRUMENTS Reliability of the data collection describes the precision of a research measuring instrument. A pre-test will be conducted using the undergraduate students of the University of Lagos, so that necessary corrections will be made based on the analysis of the result of the pre-test. This will determine how effective the developed instrument would be in collecting appropriate data relevant to the research objectives.

Similarly, to ensure that respondents answer the questions, a self-response questionnaire shall be administered and instructions given. The clear documentation of procedures used will ensure that the research can easily be replicated in other areas or at different times (Burton, 2000). The questionnaire used in pre-testing will be coded and analyzed using statistical package for Social Science (SPSS). 3. 9 DATA MANAGEMENT Data gotten will be thoroughly edited for the purpose of completeness and accuracy; it will be coded for easy identification and accurate data entry and analysis in the computer.

Data will be coded, through creation of a codebook and entered directly into the analysis software, Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18. 0. The created data set will then be cleaned for potential coding errors or those arising from entry before embarking on analysis. An initial exploratory analysis of the data will be conducted so as to get an inkling of what is contained therein and the possible results. However, the main type of analysis work to be done will be confirmatory data analysis where the effort will be to seek to establish the kind of relationship of questions asked.

People who did not respond to any particular question will be excluded in any analysis in frequency tables. The data entered into the computer will be subject to descriptive (mean, mode, media) and inferential (chi-square) statistical analysis information obtained will be summarized and presented in tables and charts. The questionnaire on the other hand will be stored in a safe place till study is completed. 3. 9. 1 ETHICAL APPROVAL Prior to the commencement of the study, ethical approval will be obtained from the university ethical review committee.

Participants will complete an informed consent form which will provide information on the research purpose and what the data collected will be used for. They will be told the purpose of the research during the introductions and formation of rapport and their participation will be voluntary and not influenced by any means. They will opt to participate or not to on their own volition. The respondents will not be deceived as to the purpose of the research but the researcher will deal with them transparently and honestly, making them fully aware of the purpose and goals of the study.

The researcher will preserve confidentiality and privacy of the respondents will treat the participants with courtesy and respect. They will not be viewed as subjects for the study but as active partners. They will be accorded the right to self-determination. The researcher shall in no way interfere with the rights or freewill of the participants including that of ceasing to participate in the research at any time. The time of participants will be used judiciously and effectively so as to maximize their time and achieve much.

Brandon Johnson
Author: Brandon Johnson
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