CAREER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND EMPLOYEES COMMITMENT AMONG JUNIOR ACADEMIC STAFF IN ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY, AKUNGBA – AKOKO, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA.

This study investigated the relationship between career management practices and employee commitment among junior academic staff in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. The research was motivated by the growing concern about the declining level of commitment among university staff and the need to understand how structured career management initiatives can enhance motivation and retention. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and purposive sampling technique, while data were obtained from 120 validly returned questionnaires. Analytical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean scores, and regression analysis were employed to test the hypotheses. Findings indicated that career management practices include talent management practices (B = 0.392, p = 0.000), promotion practices (B = -0.141, p = 0.002) and job assignment practices (B = 0.615, p = 0.000) significantly affected employee’s commitment of junior academic staff. The results also revealed that lack of clear career progression structures and inadequate career support mechanisms contribute to reduced morale and higher turnover intentions among staff. The study affirms that well-structured career management practices not only improve employee commitment but also foster institutional stability and academic excellence. It was recommended that the university management should establish comprehensive career development programmes, ensure transparent promotion policies, provide mentoring opportunities and allocate adequate resources for staff training. Such initiatives will enhance the commitment of junior academic staff, reduce attrition and contribute to the sustainable development of the institution