From Degree to Career: The Case for Institutionalizing Career Development Centers in West African Universities

The higher education sector in West Africa has grown faster than its capacity to enhance graduate job readiness, which results in elevated unemployment rates and skill mismatches for university graduates. The research supports West African universities to establish Career Development Centers (CDCs) as permanent institutions which will help students transition from their education to the requirements of the workforce. The research uses career development theories and contextual barriers and equity considerations to study how CDCs support reflective career learning, self-efficacy and adaptability development. The research employed a descriptive survey approach to gather data through online questionnaires from 46 undergraduate students and recent graduates who attended universities in Nigeria and Ghana. The study reveals that 47.8% of students remain unaware of career services, while 67.5% rate their institutional job market readiness as moderate or poor and 82.6% believe their educational programs fail to meet industry requirements. The examination reveals that it is crucial to incorporate formalized CDCs within university governance when developing partnerships with employers and government entities to enhance graduate employability and national growth. Resources should be dedicated to developing CDCs alongside measures to adjust course content to market demands and enhance culturally sensitive digital career services that will help West African students achieve better employment outcomes.