The aim of this study is to examine the effects of a coaching-based career planning course on students’ career awareness and to discuss the findings in the context of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
Data were collected from 110 students enrolled at Çukurova University. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed method design consisting of two stages. The first stage was conducted as a quasi-experimental study with repeated measures between September 2024 and June 2025. The second stage took place one semester later (the fall semester) and was designed using thematic analysis, a qualitative research method. Both stages were conducted face-to-face.
According to the findings, the coaching-based educational intervention had a positive and statistically meaningful effect on students’ career awareness (p < 0.05). However, a single coaching-based course is not equally effective across all dimensions of career awareness.
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first example of a coaching-based career planning course conducted in higher education in Turkey to bridge Career Awareness and SDGs.
