Mentoring: A Hallmark of Career Development in Public and Private Organisations in Rivers State, Nigeria

This study examined mentoring as a key factor in career development within organisations in Rivers State, Nigeria. It aimed to ascertain whether increasing access to mentoring opportunities can improve employability skills, professional competence, and career progression among young graduates and workers in Rivers State. Social Exchange Theory was adopted as a theoretical framework to explain the relationship between mentoring and career development. Both primary and secondary sources provided data for the study. Structured questionnaire forms were distributed to one hundred and eighty-one (181) respondents to collect primary data. Respondents for the study were drawn from entrepreneurs, bankers, and civil servants in Rivers State, and were selected through convenience sampling. Presentation of the data was through charts and tables, while analysis of the results was through simple percentages and frequencies. The study revealed that mentoring enhances employability skills, professional competence, and career progression among employees in public and private sectors. While employees in both sectors benefit from mentoring, its impact on skills development and career advancement is stronger in the private sector. In the public sector, mentoring contributed more to knowledge acquisition and professional competence than to career progression. Inadequate mentor availability for practical guidance and psychosocial support during distress are some challenges which undermine the quality of mentoring relationships. The study concludes that mentoring plays a significant role in the career development of young graduates and workers in organisations in Rivers State. The findings suggest that institutionalized mentoring is an effective framework for career development, however, its success largely depends on the quality of mentor engagement with the mentee. It is recommended that organisations should give adequate attention to practical skills development in mentoring processes to ensure that mentees gain practical experience and capabilities that would enhance their job readiness and performance.