Assessing the Need for Career Orientation as a Precursor to Women and Youth Empowerment Program in Abia State

Abstract

Empowering women and youth through career orientation strategies not only addresses employment gaps but also promotes personal and community growth. This paper aimed to assess how essential career orientation is in the design and success of women and youth empowerment programs in Abia State. Without such assessment, efforts to enhance empowerment outcomes may continue to lack coherence, strategic alignment, and measurable impact. Using a survey research design, the study's findings collectively confirmed that career orientation before empowerment helps women and youth identify their strengths and interests. The average score of 3.6 indicated that career orientation is vital for the success of empowerment programs. A score of 3.5 showed that the majority (70%) of women and youth are willing to participate in a career orientation program before joining an empowerment initiative. The results also supported the idea that career orientation should be a prerequisite for women and youth before receiving empowerment support (3.5). Regarding whether other women and youth in Abia communities would accept a career orientation program as part of empowerment efforts, data indicated acceptance (3.5). Furthermore, the findings revealed that career orientation should precede skill acquisition or training in empowerment programs (3.4) and that empowerment programs should be postponed until participants have received proper career guidance (3.0). The paper concludes that career orientation is not merely an optional activity but a strategic necessity that influences the long-term success of empowerment programs; therefore, it should be made mandatory before starting any empowerment initiatives.