Meeting Ugandan university students’ career needs using cognitive information processing model

Career practitioners in Uganda are challenged to help students achieve personal agency in designing and implementing preferred career paths when faced with the increased uncertainty. The need for services vastly exceeds the supply of practitioners. Cognitive information processing (CIP) theory describes key elements required for informed decision-making and a decision-making approach that considers the context of internal and external influences. CIP also offers an innovative delivery model designed to increase access while optimizing resources. In this article, we describe the applicability of CIP theory in meeting the career needs of students seeking career services at a university in Uganda. We discuss program integration challenges faced such as limited staff and resources, as well as specific student characteristics that act as barriers to seeing the value of personally engaging career problem-solving. Results from a workshop survey and anecdotal comments about the integration of CIP into career service delivery are provided.