Employability Skills and Career Aspirations of Students with Visual Impairment in Tertiary Institutions in South-East Nigeria
Keywords:
Employability Skills, Career Aspirations, Students, Visual Impairment, Tertiary InstitutionsAbstract
This study examined the employability skills and career aspirations of students with visual impairment in tertiary institutions in South-East Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and a sample of 150 visually impaired students was purposively selected from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in the region. Two researcher-developed instruments, the Employability Skills Questionnaire (ESQ) and the Career Aspiration Scale (CAS), were used to collect data. Experts validated both instruments, and reliability was established with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.84. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation,
frequency, and percentage) were used to answer research questions. An independent t-test and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) were also employed to test hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that students demonstrated a moderate overall level of employability skills, with communication and teamwork as their strongest areas, and ICT competence as the weakest. Career aspirations were concentrated in teaching, law, and entrepreneurship, while fewer students aspired to careers in ICT and counselling. No significant difference was found in employability skills based on gender, but a positive and significant relationship was established between employability skills and career aspirations. The study concludes that students with visual impairment in South-East Nigeria possess ambition but face limitations in competence and career exposure. It recommends strengthening employability training, expanding access to assistive technologies, and providing specialized career guidance to better align students’ skills with the labour market demands.
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