ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER DIVERSIFICATION AMONG STUDENTS IN PETROLEUM INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA

Graduate unemployment and limited career opportunities remain critical challenges in Nigeria, particularly in the South-South region, where petroleum institutions dominate higher education offerings. Despite the economic importance of the oil and gas sector, its capital-intensive nature and technological specialization restrict entry-level employment opportunities for fresh graduates. This study investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial skills development and career diversification among students in petroleum institutions in South-South Nigeria. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 350 undergraduate students at selected petroleum-related institutions using a structured questionnaire titled the Entrepreneurial Skills Development and Career Diversification Questionnaire (ESDCDQ). The instrument was validated by experts in entrepreneurship education and vocational training and demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha > 0.70). Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to assess the levels of entrepreneurial skills development and career diversification, while Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation was employed to test the hypothesized relationship at the 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that students exhibited moderate to high levels of entrepreneurial skills, particularly in creativity, opportunity recognition, and business planning. Moreover, there was a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurial skills development and career diversification, indicating that students with higher entrepreneurial competencies were more likely to explore alternative career pathways beyond traditional oil and gas employment. The study concludes that structured and well-managed entrepreneurship education is instrumental in equipping petroleum students with the cognitive and behavioural skills necessary for occupational flexibility, self-employment, and sustainable livelihoods.