Goals

• Empower Students: Provide career assessments, exploration resources, CV writing support and job search strategies tailored to distance learners.

• Support Staff Development: Offer workshops, career coaching, and planning tools to support internal mobility, reskilling, and leadership development.
• Foster Flexibility: Ensure all services are accessible online, on-demand, and suited to diverse schedules.
• Build Connections: Establish links with employers, alumni, and professional bodies to create career pathways and mentorship opportunities.
• Encourage Lifelong Learning: Promote a culture of continuous professional growth and career adaptability among the university community.
• Increase Career Awareness: Engage students, alumni, faculty, staff, employers and parents on the existence of the career services centre and its available activities that support career education.

Implementation Strategies Developed and Designed to Achieve the Mission Statement

• Employment of relevant staff to provide the needed support services.
• Provision of learner’s support services through the use of Study Centres (Special Centres) at various locations in the country.
• Appropriate in-service and continuous training for staff of various categories.
• Use of appropriate techniques and technologies to achieve delivery of support services.

Objectives

The objectives of the Directorate of Counselling and Career Development are designed to address the diverse and evolving career developmental needs of students and staff at the National Open of University. These objectives support the university’s broader mission of accessible, flexible and quality education that will equip every member of the academic community to make informed, confident and strategic career decisions. The objectives are to:

• Provide tailored career guidance for distance learners

Delivering of personalised career counselling sessions, both virtually and in person (where possible), to support students from varied backgrounds and career stages. Develop and disseminate career planning toolkits and self-assessment resources suited to the needs of learners.

• Enhance employability and job readiness among students

Organize workshops and webinars on CV/resume writing, job interview preparation, professional communication and digital portfolios. Facilitate internships, job shadowing and volunteering opportunities in collaboration with industry partners.

• Support professional growth and mobility of university staff

Offer career development consultations for academic and administrative staff to explore internal career pathways, leadership opportunities and upskilling options.

Coordinate training programmes and mentorship initiatives to foster continuous learning and career progression.

• Increase access to current labour market information

Provide updated data on employment trends, in-demand skills and sector-specific opportunities through newsletters, webinars and an online resource hub.

Partner with employers and industry experts to deliver insight into evolving job market needs.

• Create a centralized and inclusive career development platform

Develop an interactive online platform, offering on-demand career resources, event registration, job listings and virtual career assessments. Ensure all services are accessible to users with diverse learning needs and geographic limitations.

• Build partnerships for career advancement

Collaborate with industry partners, alumni, government bodies and NGOs to enhance career placement opportunities and real-world learning. Establish an alumnus mentoring programme to provide peer-to-peer guidance and networking opportunities for current students.

• Promote a culture of lifelong career development
  Embed career planning and reflective practice into the academic experience through faculty collaboration and integrated curriculum support. Encourage self-directed learning and long-term career resilience among students and staff.

History of the Directorate

The Directorate of Counselling and Career Development stands as one of the strategic arms of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), dedicated to the holistic support, guidance, and career advancement of learners in an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) environment. Its history reflects a progressive evolution, shaped by the growing need for learner-centred services in Nigeria’s higher education system.

At the inception of NOUN in 2003, the concept of structured learner support services underwent various developmental phases. Initially, the Unit operated without a formal designation, and was subsequently referred to as the Counselling Unit, headed by a Chief Counsellor. Over time, its name and scope were refined, first as the Support Unit, then as Learner Support Services (LSS) before its eventual upgrade to a full-fledged Directorate, and then known as a Directorate of Learner Support Services (DLSS), headed by a Director.

Within the DLSS structure, the Counselling Unit continued to operate as a specialized service arm, headed by a Deputy Director (Counselling). This arrangement was maintained for nearly twenty two (22) years, during which the Unit played a pivotal role in addressing academic, personal, and career-related concerns of learners spread across NOUN’s Study Centres.

In March 2025, recognizing the critical role of counselling in learner success within ODL systems, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Peters, approved the elevation of the Unit to an autonomous Directorate now designated as the Directorate of Counselling and Career Development (DC&CD). This decision was informed by increasing demands for professional guidance, the necessity to support learners in making informed career and study choices, and the mandate to enhance retention, motivation, and overall learner satisfaction.

The newly reconstituted Directorate, under the leadership of its pioneer Director, Dr. Sefinat Omuya, is strategically positioned to provide comprehensive counselling and career services that are essential in an ODL system where learners often face unique challenges such as balancing study with work and family responsibilities, managing self-paced learning, and navigating diverse academic pathways.

Through its mandate, the Directorate is contributing significantly to the attainment of NOUN’s vision by:

• Providing professional academic, personal, and career guidance to learners.
• Assisting students in aligning their course selections with career aspirations.
• Enhancing learner engagement, retention, and completion rates through targeted support interventions.
• Bridging the gap between academic learning and employability skills in the Nigerian labour market.

The Directorate’s establishment reaffirms NOUN’s commitment to providing not just education, but a comprehensive support system that empowers learners to achieve academic excellence and career success in line with the principles of open and distance education.

Operations of the Directorate of Counselling and Career Development

The Operation of the DC&CD is headed by the Director who reports to the Vice-Chancellor on the day-to-day operations of the centre. The Director oversees the activities of the three (3) main units of the centre.

Members of Staff of the Directorate of Counselling  Services and Career Development