Quality of Mentor-Mentee Relationships and Career Aspirations of University Students in Kenya

Abstract

This study examined the influence of perceived quality of mentor-mentee relationships on the career aspirations of university students in Kenya participating in the Education for All Children (EFAC) mentoring program. A mixed-methods design was employed, involving 309 university students (51.8% female, 48.2% male; aged 21– 26 years) and 309 mentors (59.9% male, 40.1% female) from Kenyan public universities. Quantitative data were collected using the Career Aspiration Scale Revised (CASR) and a mentor-mentee relationship quality scale, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with mentors. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, linear regression analysis, and content analysis were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that most participants had high career aspirations (mean = 92.20, SD = 11.31) while rating the quality of their mentoring relationships as average (mean = 54.01, SD = 11.58). A significant positive correlation was found between perceived mentor-mentee relationship quality and career aspirations (r = .21, p < .001). Regression analysis indicated that relationship quality was a significant predictor of career aspirations (β = 0.21, p < .001), although it explained only 4% of the variance (R² = 0.04). Qualitative findings highlighted that mentees valued mentors who were attentive, relatable, committed, and—crucially—working in a similar career field. Positive relationships were characterized by mutual engagement, authenticity, trust, empathy, regular face- to-face or live video interactions, and individualized attention. Barriers to quality relationships included mentor busyness, poor communication, mistrust, mismatched expectations, and infrequent contact