Volume 10 Number 2 , 2025 Faculty of Social Sciences, Enugu State University of Science And Technology EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Prof. Nicholas Attamah MANAGING EDITOR Prof. Barnabas Nwankwo PUBLISHED BY ENUGU STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES 273 Extra Curriculum Activity Participation and Employability Prospects of Undergraduates Sanni Adewale Babajide1 Raji Ismail Adesina2 Tella Adeniran Rahmon 3 1 & 2Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria asanni3337@stu.ui.edu.ng rajismail@gmail.com 3Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Art, Social & Management Sciences, Atiba University, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria adenirantella@gmail.com Abstract Graduate employability continues to pose a major challenge within Nigerian higher education, with many university graduates lacking the competencies demanded by contemporary labour markets. This study investigates the employability prospects of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan and the influence of their participation in extracurricular activities. Employing a descriptive survey of the correlational design, data were gathered from 612 undergraduates through a structured questionnaire. Results revealed that students rated their employability skills relatively low, particularly in the areas of critical thinking, professional communication, and digital presence. Conversely, high levels of participation were reported in extracurricular activities such as sports, student clubs, and campus politics, though engagement in entrepreneurship was limited. A statistically significant moderate positive correlation was found between extracurricular participation and employability prospects (r = .466, p < .001). Further analysis using simple linear regression showed that extracurricular participation significantly predicted employability prospects, (F(1;610) = 168.76, p < .001, Adj. R² = .215). The study concludes that structured extracurricular engagement contributes meaningfully to students’ perceived employability and recommends institutional integration of employability skills training and digital competence development within and beyond the curriculum. Keywords: Employability, Extracurricular activities, Undergraduate students, University of Ibadan Introduction Graduate employability has taken centre stage in global higher education discourse, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where the transition from education to the labour market is increasingly uncertain. In Nigeria, the challenge is particularly acute. Despite the rising number of university graduates, many employers report a persistent mismatch between the competencies possessed by graduates and the practical demands of the workplace. This employability gap has prompted universities, policymakers, and scholars to re-evaluate the adequacy of conventional academic training in preparing students for professional life (Abe & Kasumu, 2022). mailto:asanni3337@stu.ui.edu.ng mailto:rajismail@gmail.com mailto:adenirantella@gmail.com 274 The concept of employability, according to Aigbodion et al. (2022), has evolved from being narrowly associated with job placement to encompassing a broader set of competencies, including communication, critical thinking, digital literacy, collaboration, and adaptability. Hence, Gbadamosi (2021) argued that the traditional curriculum in Nigerian universities often places a premium on theoretical knowledge while underemphasising the development of transferable skills. Consequently, students may graduate with strong academic qualifications but lack the soft and digital skills necessary for sustained career success. Parallel to this concern is the growing recognition of extracurricular activities as important vehicles for non-formal learning. Participation in campus-based activities—such as student clubs, sports, politics, and volunteering—has been shown to nurture essential employability skills that may not be acquired through formal classroom engagement (Adeyemi et al. 2022). These engagements offer students the opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork, initiative, and social capital, all of which are crucial in an increasingly dynamic and competitive labour market. However, the extent to which Nigerian students engage in such activities and how these experiences translate into enhanced employability remains underexplored in empirical literature. Compounding these challenges is the rapid digitisation of the global economy, which has placed digital skills at the core of employability. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the demand for digital fluency, highlighting the limitations of students who lack access to, or training in, digital tools. As shown by Joshua and Apuru (2024), digital skill acquisition significantly influences students’ perceived employability, yet access to such skills remains uneven, often shaped by geographic and socioeconomic disparities. Against this background, understanding the role of extracurricular activities in shaping employability prospects is crucial among the undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. This study aims to explore the influence of participation in extracurricular activities on the employability prospects of undergraduates in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Literature Review Several empirical studies have investigated the relationship between education, skill acquisition, and employability, providing evidence relevant to the present study. Ore (2023) investigated the effectiveness of Business Education programmes in developing employability skills among undergraduates in Lagos State using a descriptive survey design. A structured questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students, and the data were analysed using correlation statistics. The findings revealed that the curriculum content of business education did not adequately equip students with essential soft skills for workplace success. Moreover, a negative relationship was found between instructional methods and students’ employability skills. The study emphasised that integrating workplace requirements into the curriculum and embedding soft skills training would enhance graduates’ employability. This underscores the critical role of curriculum design in bridging the gap between academic training and labour market expectations. Similarly, Eke (2025) examined re-skilling needs in Nigerian adult education within the context of automation and technological change, adopting a qualitative research design based on thematic analysis of policy documents and semi-structured interviews with adult learners 275 and educators. The study highlighted a significant skills gap, especially in digital literacy, technical competencies, and soft skills, while also identifying barriers such as economic hardship and limited access to educational resources. The findings revealed that aligning adult education with labour market demands, adopting learner-centred and technology-driven approaches, and fostering lifelong learning are vital strategies for employability in a rapidly changing job environment. This study broadens the discourse by showing that employability challenges extend beyond undergraduates to adult learners, stressing the importance of continuous re-skilling across all learning stages. In a related study, Aigbodion et al. (2023) investigated predictors of perceived employability among undergraduate students at Ambrose Alli University using a survey research design. A total of 320 students participated in the study, and data were analysed using multiple regression techniques. The results demonstrated that employability skills and core self- evaluations jointly predicted perceived employability, with employability skills independently serving as the strongest predictor. Conversely, core self-evaluations alone did not significantly influence employability outcomes. These findings confirm the primacy of practical skills acquisition in shaping graduates’ confidence and employability, thereby reinforcing the argument that higher education must prioritise skill development alongside academic learning. In line with this, Joshua and Apuru (2024) examined the influence of digital skills acquisition on the employability prospects of accounting education students in North Central Nigeria using a correlational survey design. A sample of 393 students was drawn through stratified random sampling, and data were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and regression analysis. Their results revealed a strong positive influence of digital skills on employability, while geographic location and family income were negatively correlated with both digital skills acquisition and employability prospects. The study recommended that infrastructural factors, such as sustainable electricity and adequate provision of digital equipment, are essential to support skill acquisition. These findings demonstrate that beyond personal effort, contextual and structural factors significantly shape students’ employability outcomes. Furthermore, Oshinyadi et al. (2023) examined the skill gap among undergraduate students of Educational Management in South-West Nigeria using a descriptive survey design. A multistage sampling procedure yielded 354 students, 6 heads of department, 6 TESCOM officers, 6 SUBEB officers, 58 private secondary school administrators, and 186 private primary school administrators. Data were collected using three instruments—Employer Employability Skills Questionnaire (r = .94), Employability Skills for Education Management Graduates Questionnaire (r = .76), and Graduates Employability Skills Rating Scale (r = .70)—and analysed using mean, standard deviation, and Skill Need Index. Findings revealed that employers demanded a wide range of employability skills, including interpersonal communication, self-management, critical thinking, management-specific, and teacher professionalism skills. Four of these categories showed large skill gaps, prompting the recommendation of periodic curriculum reviews to close these gaps. Aloba et al. (2023) focused on entrepreneurship core-skills acquisition and self-employability of public university graduates in North Central Nigeria using a descriptive research design. Data were collected from 400-level students across eight universities, selected through 276 proportional random sampling, with instruments including the Entrepreneurship Training Questionnaire (ETQ) and Core-Skills Acquisition Questionnaire (CSAQ). Analysis using mean and standard deviation revealed that communication skills ranked highest (M = 4.24), followed by vocational skills (M = 2.76), while managerial skills were lowest (M = 2.42). The study found graduates’ self-employability to be low and recommended partnerships between universities and communities in entrepreneurship training to foster job creation. Gbadamosi (2021) assessed employability skills among final-year undergraduates using a mixed-method design involving 120 students and 20 employers. Instruments included the Employability Skills Questionnaire (r = .77), Stakeholders’ Perception of Students’ Employability Skills Questionnaire (r = .75), and an interview guide. Findings indicated an overall low level of employability skills (weighted mean = 2.48). While students demonstrated higher levels of adaptability (M = 2.67) and communication skills (M = 2.65), their ICT skills (M = 2.37) and problem-solving abilities (M = 2.22) were weak. The study recommended curriculum and extracurricular activities targeted at equipping students with the diverse employability skills demanded by the labour market. These empirical studies provide convergent evidence that curriculum design, re-skilling initiatives, skill acquisition, and contextual enablers (such as infrastructure and socio- economic background) are all critical determinants of graduate employability. However, there remains limited empirical focus on the role of extra-curricular activities in shaping employability, which is the specific gap addressed in this present study. Statement of the problem Purpose/objectives of the study The study examined the influence of extra curriculum participation on employability prospects of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined: i. The level of employability prospect of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria ii. Level of participation in extra curriculum activities by undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria iii. Relationship between participation in extra curriculum activities and employability prospect of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria iv. Influence of participation in extra curriculum activities on employability prospect of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Research questions 1. What is the level of employability prospect of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria? 2. What is the level of extra curriculum participation by undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria? 3. There is no significant relationship between extra curriculum participation and employability prospects of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria 277 4. Extra curriculum participation will not have significance influence on employability prospects of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Methodology The descriptive survey design of the correlational type was adopted to examine the 22,887 undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria as at the 2023/2024 academic session. The multistage sampling procedure was used to select 628 participants for this study. At the first stage, simple random technique was used to select 6 faculties in the University (Faculties of Agriculture, Arts, Education, Pharmacy, Sciences and Economics & Management Sciences). At the second stage, proportionate to size random sampling technique was used to select 5% of students in the selected faculties, making a total of 628. Table 1: Sample of Undergraduates of University of Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria S/N Faculty Number of undergraduates 5% of Undergraduates in selected faculties 1 Agriculture 1,433 72 2 Arts 3,228 161 3 Education 3,737 187 4 Pharmacy 544 27 5 Science 3,105 155 6 Economics & Management Science 514 26 Total 12,561 628 A self-constructed questionnaire was adopted to collect data for the study based on literature. The instrument was subjected to face and content validity by experts from the Department of Educational Management, University of Ibadan.. The instrument was then subjected to a pre- test at the faculty of The Social Sciences and the data analysed using the Cronbach Alpha method of reliability, and it yielded 0.89, which is good enough. The instrument was then used to collect data from the various selected faculties. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Research questions one and two were analysed using simple percentage, mean and standard deviation, research question three was analysed using Pearson’s product moment correlation, while research question four was analysed with multiple regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. Results and Discussion Research Question 1: What is the level of employability prospect of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria? 278 Table 2: Employability Prospect of Undergraduates at the University of Ibadan To what extent do you: VHE HE LE VLE Mean Std. Deviation Decision challenge existing ideas? 34 202 285 91 2.29 .785 Low 5.6% 33.0% 46.6% 14.9% effective in identifying key issues in a discussion? 25 110 386 91 2.11 .693 Low 4.1% 18.0% 63.1% 14.9% consider multiple perspectives when making decisions? 26 93 357 136 2.01 .738 Low 4.2% 15.2% 58.3% 22.2% attend networking events or conferences? 64 224 250 74 2.45 .837 Low 10.5% 36.6% 40.8% 12.1% build relationships with professionals in your industry? 47 212 291 62 2.40 .773 Low 7.7% 34.6% 47.5% 10.1% get career advice from experts? 38 176 300 98 2.25 .796 Low 6.2% 28.8% 49.0% 16.0% build professional relationships? 41 169 282 120 2.21 .834 Low 6.7% 27.6% 46.1% 19.6% use social media platforms to build your career network? 72 171 274 95 2.36 .882 Low 11.8% 27.9% 44.8% 15.5% update your online presence (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter)? 77 225 225 85 2.48 .883 Low 12.6% 36.8% 36.8% 13.9% showcase your skills and achievements? 53 210 259 90 2.37 .837 Low 8.7% 34.3% 42.3% 14.7% understand your personal brand? 32 146 334 100 2.18 .761 Low 5.2% 23.9% 54.6% 16.3% represent yourself professionally online and offline. 49 188 274 101 2.30 .838 Low 8.0% 30.7% 44.8% 16.5% manage your online presence to enhance my professional image. 59 178 279 96 2.33 .853 Low 9.6% 29.1% 45.6% 15.7% 2.29 0.81 Low Table 2 presents findings on the employability prospects of undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. It captures how students perceive their proficiency across various employability skills, ranging from critical thinking and decision-making to networking, personal branding, and digital presence. The results consistently point to a low level of confidence and competence in all assessed areas, with each skill ultimately receiving a “Low” decision rating. In the area of critical thinking, the students reported weak abilities in challenging existing ideas, with a mean score of 2.29, and in identifying key issues during discussions, where the mean was even lower at 2.11. This suggests that most students do not often take initiative in academic or professional discussions and rarely question dominant perspectives. Similarly, their ability to consider multiple viewpoints before making decisions was rated poorly, 279 receiving a mean score of 2.01—the lowest among all the evaluated skills—indicating a clear gap in reflective and inclusive decision-making. When it comes to career-oriented interactions, the findings reveal that attending networking events or conferences is not a regular activity among the students. This aspect recorded a mean of 2.45, which, though higher than other items, still falls within the “Low” category. The tendency to build relationships with professionals in their field also remained poor, with a mean of 2.40, reflecting a limited engagement with industry figures who could offer career guidance or mentorship. Students similarly reported minimal efforts in seeking career advice from experts (mean = 2.25) and in building professional relationships (mean = 2.21), further emphasising their weak networking habits. These figures point to a broader issue of underutilisation of professional guidance and limited attempts at developing valuable social capital. Regarding the use of digital platforms for career advancement, the students showed limited participation. The use of social media to build professional networks recorded a mean of 2.36, while updating online presence through platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter garnered a mean of 2.48, the highest among all measured items but still categorised as low. Similarly, the act of showcasing one’s skills and achievements online received a mean of 2.37, indicating that most students are not actively presenting their competencies to potential employers in digital spaces. Understanding one’s personal brand and representing oneself professionally, both online and offline, also received weak ratings, with means of 2.18 and 2.30 respectively. These results highlight a lack of self-awareness and strategic personal branding, which are critical in today's competitive job market. Additionally, the students reported limited efforts to manage their online presence in ways that enhance their professional image, with a mean of 2.33. Taken together, the overall mean score across all employability indicators stands at 2.29 with a standard deviation of 0.81, which reaffirms the general pattern of low self-assessed readiness for the job market. This aligns with Gbadamosi (2021), who observed that although employability-oriented skills are often introduced in Nigerian higher education, they are insufficiently embedded in the curriculum and rarely reinforced through experiential learning. Students tend to complete their programmes without the practical exposure needed to develop soft skills, resulting in limited confidence in their readiness for employment. The findings strongly suggest the need for structured interventions aimed at equipping students with essential employability skills, particularly in areas like communication, digital literacy, professional networking, and personal branding. Without such initiatives, graduates may continue to face significant challenges in transitioning successfully into the workforce. Research Question 2: What is the level of extra curriculum participation by undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria? 280 Table 3: Participation in Extra Curriculum Activities by Undergraduates at the University of Ibadan VH H L VL Mean Std. Deviation Decision Sports activities 145 262 119 86 2.76 .969 High 23.7% 42.8% 19.4% 14.1% Student clubs e.g cultural, sports, performance group, etc 118 245 178 71 2.67 .917 High 19.3% 40.0% 29.1% 11.6% campus politics e.g. residency hall, student union, departmental leadership, etc. 188 256 112 56 2.94 .924 High 30.7% 41.8% 18.3% 9.2% operating a personal business 89 204 217 102 2.46 .935 Low 14.5% 33.3% 35.5% 16.7% 2.71 0.94 High Table 3 captures the level of participation in extracurricular activities among undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Unlike the earlier data on employability skills, the findings here suggest a generally high level of engagement, with three out of the four activities assessed receiving a “High” decision rating. The overall mean score for this set of items is 2.71 with a standard deviation of 0.94, indicating moderate to strong involvement in activities beyond the academic curriculum. Participation in sports activities appears to be notably robust. With a mean score of 2.76, students demonstrate relatively high levels of engagement in physical recreation and sports. This suggests that a considerable number of students are actively involved in maintaining physical well-being and participating in school-organised athletic events or competitions. Similarly, involvement in student clubs, including cultural societies, sports groups, and performance teams, is also significant. Although this area recorded a slightly lower mean of 2.67, it still falls within the “High” category, indicating that many students actively explore their interests through organised group activities and informal peer-led initiatives. These clubs often provide opportunities for social interaction, creative expression, and the development of soft skills such as teamwork and leadership. Campus politics, including roles in residency halls, departmental leadership, and participation in student unions, recorded the highest mean score of 2.94, which points to a substantial level of engagement. This suggests that a notable proportion of students are interested in governance, representation, and decision-making structures within the university setting. Such involvement may also contribute positively to the development of organisational and public speaking skills, as well as a deeper understanding of civic responsibility. In contrast, the only extracurricular area that received a “Low” decision was operating a personal business, with a mean score of 2.46. This indicates that, while some students are engaged in entrepreneurial ventures during their studies, the majority are not actively involved in business operations, possibly due to academic commitments, lack of capital, or limited entrepreneurial support structures on campus. 281 In sum, the data shows that undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan are actively involved in a variety of extracurricular pursuits, especially in structured and institutionalised formats such as clubs, sports, and student politics. However, personal entrepreneurship remains relatively underdeveloped among this population. This pattern is consistent with the findings of Adeyemi, Ebo, and Adeyemi (2022), who noted that while Nigerian graduates frequently engage in unionism, sports, and volunteering, these activities are often undervalued or disconnected from structured employability frameworks. Notably, entrepreneurial involvement among the students was low—an area that remains underdeveloped despite its recognised importance in Nigeria’s competitive job landscape. This pattern highlights the potential of extracurricular platforms to foster holistic student development while pointing to the need for more robust support for student entrepreneurship. Research Question 3: There is no significant relationship between extra curriculum participation and employability prospects of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Table 4: Relationship between Participation in Extra Curriculum Activities and Employability Prospects of Undergraduate at the University of Ibadan N Mean Standard Deviation r p-value Remark Employability Prospect 612 51.0594 10.50 0.466 .000 Significant Extra curriculum participation 612 13.0891 3.042 Table 4 presents the statistical relationship between undergraduate students’ participation in extracurricular activities and their employability prospects at the University of Ibadan. It offers evidence that involvement in extracurricular pursuits has a meaningful and positive impact on how students perceive their readiness for the job market. A total of 612 students were included in the analysis. The mean score for employability prospects among them was 51.06, with a standard deviation of 10.5, while the mean score for extracurricular participation was 13.09, with a standard deviation of 3.04. These descriptive statistics suggest a moderately high level of self-reported employability and a fair degree of involvement in extracurricular engagements. The statistical analysis yielded a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of 0.466, which indicates a moderate positive correlation between the two variables. This means that students who are more actively involved in extracurricular activities tend to report better employability prospects. More importantly, the p-value associated with this result is .000, which is well below the conventional threshold of 0.05 for statistical significance. The remark “Significant” in the table confirms that this finding is not due to chance. In essence, the data supports the conclusion that extracurricular participation is a meaningful contributor to enhancing students’ employability. As Ore (2023) argue, involvement in extracurricular pursuits fosters the development of leadership, communication, collaboration, 282 and resilience—key competencies that contribute meaningfully to graduate readiness. The author advocates for universities to create formal links between student activities and employability strategies, a stance supported by our results. This finding underscores the importance of promoting active student involvement beyond the classroom as a strategy for improving graduate outcomes and employability. Research Question 4: Extra curriculum participation will not have significance influence on employability prospects of undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Table 5: Influence of Participation in Extra Curriculum Activities on Employability Prospects of Undergraduates at the University of Ibadan ANOVAa Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 1 Regression 14903.664 1 14903.664 168.756 .000b Residual 53872.145 610 88.315 Total 68775.809 611 R = .466a R Square = 0.217 Adjusted R Square = 0.215 Std. Error of the Estimate = 9.398 a. Dependent Variable: Employability Prospects b. Predictors: (Constant), Participation in Extra Curriculum Activities Table 5 presents the ANOVA table and associated model summary provide a deeper statistical insight into the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and employability prospects among undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan. The model tested whether students’ level of participation in extracurricular activities could significantly predict their employability prospects. The Regression Sum of Squares is 14,903.664, with 1 degree of freedom, and a corresponding Mean Square of the same value. The Residual Sum of Squares, which represents the unexplained variance, is 53,872.145 across 610 degrees of freedom, yielding a Total Sum of Squares of 68,775.809 for the full model. The F-statistic—which tests the overall significance of the regression model—is 168.756, and the p-value is .000. This result confirms that the model is statistically significant, meaning there is a very high likelihood that participation in extracurricular activities meaningfully explains variations in employability prospects among the students. The finding is robust, with the p-value far below the conventional 0.05 threshold. The model summary provides further clarification. The correlation coefficient (R) is 0.466, reaffirming a moderate positive relationship between extracurricular engagement and employability. The R Square value is 0.217, which implies that approximately 21.7% of the variance in students’ employability prospects can be explained by their involvement in extracurricular activities. The Adjusted R Square is slightly lower at 0.215, accounting for the number of predictors and sample size, which still points to a meaningful effect. The Standard 283 Error of the Estimate, at 9.398, indicates the average distance between the observed and predicted employability scores. In practical terms, this analysis shows that while extracurricular participation is not the sole factor influencing employability, it plays a significant and measurable role. It accounts for just over one-fifth of the variance in how students rate their preparedness for employment, underscoring the value of holistic education that includes opportunities for students to engage beyond the classroom. This reinforces the importance of policies and initiatives within the university that encourage and support student involvement in non-academic pursuits as a viable strategy for improving graduate outcomes. Adeyemi, Ebo, and Adeyemi (2022) similarly highlighted the predictive value of extracurricular involvement, noting that many employers recognise the leadership and interpersonal skills acquired in such settings even more than academic achievements. Conclusion and Recommendations Based on the synthesis of the four sets of results, a clear and consistent pattern emerges regarding the employability prospects of undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan and the influence of extracurricular engagement on those prospects. The first set of findings revealed a generally low level of self-assessed employability skills among students. Across various indicators—including critical thinking, communication, networking, digital presence, and professional branding—the students consistently rated themselves poorly. With a grand mean of 2.29, it is evident that students feel underprepared for the demands of the labour market, particularly in areas that require self-promotion, collaboration, and strategic engagement with professional communities. In contrast, the second set of results showed relatively high levels of participation in extracurricular activities. Students reported active involvement in sports, student clubs, and campus politics, with the highest engagement observed in political and leadership roles (mean = 2.94). However, participation in personal entrepreneurial ventures remained low. The overall mean of 2.71 for extracurricular engagement suggests that students are more confident and invested in structured, campus-based non-academic activities than in individualised professional development. The third table, which examined the correlation between extracurricular participation and employability prospects, established a moderate positive relationship (r = 0.466, p < .001). This means that students who are more actively involved in extracurricular activities tend to perceive themselves as more employable. The significance of this relationship suggests that extracurricular involvement may provide students with transferable skills and experiences that bolster their confidence and perceived readiness for employment. Finally, the regression analysis confirmed that extracurricular participation significantly predicts employability prospects. With an R Square value of 0.217, the model indicates that 21.7% of the variation in students’ employability perceptions can be attributed to their involvement in extracurricular activities. The statistically significant F-value (168.756, p < .001) reinforces the strength of this predictive relationship. In conclusion, while undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan generally report low levels of employability skills, those who actively participate in extracurricular activities— 284 particularly in structured and institutional forms—demonstrate better employability prospects. This suggests that extracurricular engagement plays a critical role in enhancing students’ readiness for the workforce. Therefore, university policies and academic planning should prioritise the integration and promotion of meaningful extracurricular opportunities as part of a broader employability strategy. Encouraging structured student involvement beyond the classroom may serve not only to complement formal education but also to significantly enhance students’ post-graduation outcomes. The study hereby recommends that: i. Given the low levels of employability skills demonstrated by students, the university management should revise the academic curriculum to embed employability-focused content across all faculties. This should include compulsory modules or workshops on critical thinking, communication, digital presence, and career planning. Collaborations with industry professionals and career development experts should also be fostered to ensure students are equipped with practical, market-relevant skills. ii. Since students actively participate in organised extracurricular activities but show low engagement in entrepreneurship, the Student Affairs Division should expand the range of non-academic programmes available on campus. This should include targeted initiatives such as entrepreneurship boot camps, innovation challenges, and student-led start-up incubators. iii. In light of the positive correlation between extracurricular participation and employability, the Career Services Unit should develop platforms that help students reflect on and articulate the skills gained from extracurricular involvement. iv. Since extracurricular engagement significantly predicts employability prospects, education policy makers—particularly those involved in tertiary education planning— should mandate that universities adopt structured co-curricular records, encourage cross-campus integration of leadership and skill-building activities, and assess these engagements as part of students’ overall educational outcomes. This will ensure a more holistic approach to graduate preparedness at the systemic level. References Abdulwahab R. & Abba, R. (2023). 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