Dr Stephen Bepeh Undie, Ebere Bassey Victor, Ayambem Nelly Elvert, Mercy Omali Ebua & Uwa Uwa Nyong
Abstract
This study adopted a predictive correlational research design to investigate the predictive relationship between work-based learning and school-to-work transition among business education students in universities in Cross River State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population comprised 703 business education graduating students from four universities in Cross River State, of whom a sample of 268 was drawn using the simple random sampling technique. A 30-item questionnaire titled Work-Based Learning and School-to-Work Transition Questionnaire (WBLSTWTQ) was developed by the researchers and validated by five experts comprising two from Measurement and Evaluation and three from Business Education in the University of Calabar. The WBLSTWTQ was tested for reliability, and the data obtained were analysed using Cronbach’s Alpha statistics, which produced the reliability index of 0.87. The data collected were analysed using the linear regression analysis to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings indicated that career mentoring and placement-based learning significantly predict school-to-work transition among business education students in universities in Cross River State. Based on the findings, the study recommends that business education students should leverage career mentoring to facilitate their integration into the labour market.