Browsing by Author "Materu-Behitsa, Mary Michael"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Career development service for high school and university students in Tanzania a conceptual model and methodological framework
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2015) Materu-Behitsa, Mary Michael
    The purpose of the study was to put forth a conceptual model and a methodological framework for establishing a national career development service for high school and university students in Tanzania. Objectives and research questions aimed at examining the state of students’ career development service in selected high schools and universities in Tanzania, assessing students’ career information needs and preferences and soliciting stakeholders’ views on strategies for improving provision of career development service for high school and university students. The study employed a mixed-methods research design. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The findings revealed that students’ general career preparedness was low, while the state of career development services in both high schools and universities in Tanzania was poor. Students’ needs and preferences for information were evident. Students and other stakeholders’ views pointed to an urgent need for career development service for high school and university students. Several challenges regarding policy and implementation were raised and strategies for the establishment and management of career development service were proposed. Informed by trends noted in the literature review and findings from this study the ‘employability development’ approach was used in developing a conceptual model and a methodological framework for career development service in Tanzania. The main constructs of the conceptual model are employability development, curriculum content and labour market. The methodological framework, presented in a matrix, outlines a practical guide for interpreting and implementing the ideas presented in the model. The study has several implications for the education sector, the labour market and interventions that may curb graduate un-employability and skills mismatch in Tanzania and developing countries as a whole. The study points to the plausibility of systemically addressing the challenges of youth employment (formal, informal and self-employed), graduate employment and skills mismatch through a career development perspective.