KNOWLEDGE AND APPROACH TO CAREER MENTORING AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OWERRI METROPOLIS
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background: Globally, Mentoring is known as a means of career advancement and psychosocial support to youths. It is important to have a good knowledge of mentorship as the best approach needed to select and develop a career path that would ensure development, skill acquisition and advancement.
Aim: The study was conducted to assess the knowledge, and approach to career mentoring among senior secondary school students in Owerri metropolis, Imo state, Nigeria.
Methodology: This is a descriptive survey study conducted on secondary school students who attended a technical workshop on Career, Mentorship and Development Plan; the Missing Link in Empowering the Igbo Youth by Igboekulie under their annual Asusu Igbo Amaka programme held on 23rd of November, 2019 at Owerri Girls Secondary School Owerri, Imo State, using semi structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was randomly administered to the students from various secondary schools and information on demographics, knowledge on mentorship, style of related practice and career choice were collated and analyzed using SPSS version 21.
Results: Of the 300 questionnaires administered, 292 were received of which 93 (31.8%) were from males and 199 (68.2%) from female. Most of the participants are within the age range of 13-17 (90%), followed by those 18-22 (6.5) and the least being those aged 9-12 (2.7%). Some participants aspire to become Medical Doctors (26%), Lawyers (23%), Engineers (8.9%), Priests (2.4%), Teachers (5.1%), Journalists /Media Agents (4.7%), Bankers (4.8%) and Nurses (4.6%). When asked if they were internet compliant and can easily assess internet-enabled hardware facilities or gadgets to compliment, 210 (71.9%) agreed they have while 82 (28.1%) do not. The study also investigated the availability of basic online mentoring tool. While 210/292 (71.9%) of the respondents have electronic gadgets, 28.1% do not. For those that have, 77% have mobile phone alone and 1.9% of this population with access to internet. Same as 10% that have laptops with 1% of them having access to internet. Similarly 1% have both mobile handset telephone and laptops. Overall 8.1% of the students have access to internet services. Of which 8.6% can access internet from school, 88.6% from home and 8.2% from both school and at home. A greater percentage of the students (82.9%) have someone advising them on how to choose a career in life. Majority of them 270/292 (92.5%) have heard about the word “MENTOR” and while only a few (7.5%) have not. Among those who have heard, 134 (49.6%) obtained the information from their Teachers, 48 (17.8%) from Radio, 25 (9.5%) from Church and 11 (4.1%) came across it through online search (table 1C). We also observed that 193 (66.1%) of the participants have been involved in one form of mentoring or another, of which a number below average (42.5%) were involved in a formal mentorship and 1.0% in an informal (at home) form.
Conclusion: This study shows that secondary school students in Owerri, metropolis have low level awareness of career mentorship and how to achieve their career goals. There are no formal structured mentorship program for senior secondary schools other than traditional advice from parent, teacher and religious institutions. A good number of students in Owerri have access to handset/mobile telephone at home. In this twenty first century, an era of new normal in education and training, very high number of students in Owerri do not have laptops and internet access. Having access to internet services will promote the need to establish one on one mentoring programme between students (mentees) and experienced professionals (mentors). This would be a key factor to mentor, impact and ensure proper selection of marketable professional careers, appropriate direction on how to acquire basic foundation and skills prior to tertiary education in Nigeria.
