Effect of Guidance and Counselling on Career Decisions of Business Education Students in Federal Government Girls Colleges in Katsina State

This study examined the effect of guidance and counselling services on the career decisions of Business Education students in Federal Government Girls Colleges in Katsina State, North West Nigeria. Career counselling is a critical service within educational institutions that enables students to make informed decisions about future professional pathways. For female Business Education students in the North West, sociocultural factors often shape career choices in ways that may limit their professional aspirations. This study sought to determine how exposure to formal guidance services influences career decision-making. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised 260 SS2 and SS3 Business Education students in two Federal Government Girls Colleges in Katsina State. Using simple random sampling, 130 students were selected. A validated 32-item questionnaire on guidance services and career decision-making was used. Mean and standard deviation were employed for data analysis, while chi-square was used to test the hypotheses. Findings reveal that students who received regular counselling sessions demonstrated more diverse and realistic career aspirations and were more likely to consider careers in entrepreneurship and professional certification. The study recommends that the school guidance units should conduct regular structured career workshops, invite female business leaders as role models, and collaborate with the Business Education department to embed career exploration into the curriculum. Keywords: guidance and counselling, career decisions, business education, female students, Katsina State