Career Education as an Impetus for Poverty Reduction and the Role of Adult Education (Published)
Career education and adult education are increasingly recognised as critical levers for addressing unemployment, inequality and poverty in Nigeria. Career education equips learners with vocational, entrepreneurial and digital skills that enhance employability and income-generation, while adult education provides inclusive and flexible platforms for lifelong learning. This paper explores the nexus between these two domains, situating career education within adult learning as a driver of poverty reduction and sustainable development. Drawing on human capital theory and Freirean critical pedagogy, it argues that adult learners gain not only technical competence but also empowerment to engage critically with socio-economic structures. Using a narrative review of recent literature (2015–2025), the paper synthesises evidence showing that well-designed career education reduces poverty by aligning training with local labour markets, integrating entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and targeting disadvantaged groups such as women and rural dwellers. It also highlights barriers including fragmented policies, inadequate funding, limited facilitator capacity, and socio-cultural constraints, which hinder effective implementation. To strengthen career education in adult education, the paper proposes innovative strategies such as embedding digital literacy, promoting entrepreneurial incubation, expanding community-based delivery, and adopting blended, employer-linked training models. The analysis concludes that integrating career education into adult learning frameworks offers a realistic, scalable pathway to poverty reduction in Nigeria, provided it is supported by coherent policies, sustained financing, and strong partnerships with stakeholders.
Keywords: Adult Education, Career education, Poverty Reduction, Sustainable Development