Effects of Vocational Guidance and Counselling on Students' Career Aspirations in Public Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State

The study examined the effects of vocational guidance and counselling on students’ career aspirations in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. To achieve the purpose of the study, four (4) objectives of the study, four (4) research questions and four (4) null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study made use of quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study was 11,920 senior secondary II (SSII) students of all public secondary schools in Rivers State for the 2024/2025 academic session. The sample size of the study was one hundred and fifty students for the pre-test and the same one hundred and fifty students for the post-test. The sampling technique used was a multistage sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire that was rated using four-point rating scale. The data gathered were analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviations for the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) statistic at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the data analysis, the findings revealed that vocational guidance and counselling has positive and significant effects on counselling and coaching, skills, values and job market on career aspirations of students in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. Based on the findings of the study, the study recommends that: Schools should provide students with opportunities for hands-on career exploration, such as job shadowing, internships, and career fairs. The Ministry of Education at the state level should provide public secondary schools with qualified career counsellors and coaches who can offer individualized guidance and support to students that can help them develop academic plans that outline their goals, interests and values as they navigate their career aspirations.