📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
The transition from National Youth Service Corps participation to civilian employment presents a significant career development challenge for Nigerian graduates, many of whom complete service without clear occupational plans or job-seeking competencies. This study designed and evaluated a structured career development programme for NYSC corps members in their final service year. A programme development approach was adopted, drawing on career development theory, vocational assessment research, and structured needs assessment surveys of 120 corps members in Abuja FCT, Ogun, and Kano NYSC orientation camps. The needs assessment identified skills self-assessment, resume and interview preparation, entrepreneurship orientation, professional networking, and financial planning as the five highest-priority career development needs across all three zones. The programme designed comprises eight structured modules delivered over 12 weeks, encompassing vocational interest and skills profiling, labour market information, personal branding and digital presence, entrepreneurship skills, job search strategy, interview preparation, professional networking, and financial literacy for early career management. Each module includes facilitator guides, participant workbooks, and online resource links. Pilot evaluation with 40 corps members showed significant pre-post improvements in career decision-making self-efficacy (p < 0.001) and job-search readiness (p < 0.001). Expert review by eight career counsellors and HR professionals confirmed the programme's practical relevance. The study recommends formal adoption of the programme by the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development unit. Keywords: career development programme, NYSC, labour market transition, career counselling, graduate employment
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