Investigating the availability and impact of

career advice services to 2nd year students at

the University of Zululand in the Faculty of
Arts
By
Thenjiwe P. Thabede
Department of Information Studies
University of Zululand
Email: thenjiwethabede@gmail.com
Outline
 Background and problem
Career counselling services offered in higher education institutions in
several countries tend to be least strongly professionalised (Watts in
Orellana, 2014).

This is observed at Unizulu: there is a noted lack of formal career services

a situation which manifests during the registration period.

Election of modules (when career advice is needed)starts at 2nd year level.

 In this regard 2nd years experience difficulties:
 The tendency is to elect adhocly (during the registration) in the queue
 Rely on opinion of friends, seniors
 Period allocated for career advice is short.
 Quality of advice is low.
 Aim of the study
To assess the availability and impact of career advice services to 2nd year
students in the Faculty of Arts.

Objectives of the study

 To determine the availability of career advice services.
 To ascertain the usefulness of career advice service provided.
 To determine the challenges in the provision of or lack of career advice
services
 To investigate the correlation between lack of career advice services and
modification
 To determine students satisfaction with the advice they obtain
 Literature review
 Career advice is closely related to career
counselling/guidance…….(Carter, 2014).
 Career advice services are predominantly focused on developed
countries and are only accessible to the elite (Hiebert, Schober &
Oaks, 2014.
 In higher education institutions not much attention is given to
students’ re-enrolment and their career goals (Hull-Banks et al as
cited in Shear, 2009)
 This is despite career advice being very critical in a university.
Need for career guidance rises as tertiary education operates in a
more open and competitive environment (OECD, 2003).
 Methodology
 A mixed method research design was used.

 The research method followed was the survey method.

 A questionnaire was used for collecting data.

 Data was interpreted into themes and also converted to figures.

 A sample of 64 questionnaires of 1281 students were distributed a

ratio of (20%). 43 were received back giving a 67% return rate.
 Research findings
AIM: To assess the availability and impact of career advice
services to 2nd year students in the Faculty of Arts.
Key findings
Apparent lack of career services including a dedicated department/
unit, lack of qualified/ trained people and inadequate facilities
supporting career advice provision resulting in:
 Dropouts
 Modification
 Changes to career goals
 31(72%) reported that they experience difficulties when electing
majors and only 12(28%) reported to be experiencing no problem.
 21(49%) experience a stronger need for career advice when
choosing/electing majors for second year
Need for career advice
Career advice provision by Unizulu
Are career advice services provided by
Unizulu?

37(86%)
40

35

30

25

20
6(14%)
15

10

Yes No
 Student’s satisfaction with advice
received during registration
Are you satisfied with the advice you
receive from advisors?
30

24(56%)
25

20
19(44%)

15

10

Yes No
 Adequacy of facilities supporting
provision career information
Are there adequate facilities supporting the provision of career
advice?
40

35
38(88%)

30

25

20

15

10

5(12%)
5

Yes No
 Effects of poor career advice on
students
Ways in which lack of or poor career advice
35 affects students
30 29(67%)

25 24(56%)
22(51%)
20

15
12(28%)
10

Modification Drop out Lack of interest/ Failure

dissatisfaction
Provision of information about the
electives
Were you provided with sufficient information about the
electives to decide on the ones you want to choose?
Yes No

16(37%)

27(63%)
 Study challenges
 Students withholding their views due to possible perceived
judgements for their qualification choice/s.

 Although time constraints were anticipated due to knowledge of

the allocated time to do the research. Getting the research done
in the time provided (a semester for introduction to theory and
the research project) was both exhausting and challenging.

 Accessing study populations (students) was difficult and many

were often disinterested (do not value research)
Conclusion
The study wanted to achieve the following objective:
 To determine the availability of career advice services-
 To ascertain the usefulness of career advice service provided.
 To determine the challenges in the provision of or lack of career
advice services
 To determine students satisfaction with the advice they obtain
 Conclusion
The conclusion arrived at is that:
 Students need career advice, especially at entry level tending to rely
much on the advice of people who have done the course before due
to lack of stable career advice services
 Noted problems of the lack of career advice services include:
 Modification dropouts, failure among others

 The findings would have given a truer and balanced reflection of

perceptions on the career guidance provision, had the researcher
reached a larger number of students and also consulted with
stakeholders in the institution who provide or should provide career
services.
 Recommendations
 There must be clear department/s responsible for implementing career
advice services, must be accessible including walk in centres during
registration.

 The faculty and departments should offer clear academic structures that
are easy for students to follow with clearly articulated outcomes

 Awareness of what exists and it must be improved e.g. putting

information on the university website, career handbooks, workshops, etc. .
 Timing- Career advice should be made prior to registration

 Staffing- friendly qualified staff with extensive knowledge are

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