International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: Higher education institutions in many developing countries face persistent shortages of qualified academic staff due to brain drain, increasing enrolments, and limited recruitment. While attention has largely focused on attracting and retaining academic personnel, little empirical research has examined the experiences of non-teaching administrative staff who transition into academic careers despite possessing valuable institutional knowledge and transferable professional competencies. Understanding how these individuals reconstruct their professional identities and adapt to academic roles is essential for developing sustainable talent pathways within higher education.
Objective: This study explored the identity reconstruction, transferable skills, and self-efficacy of non-teaching administrative staff who transitioned into academic careers in selected Nigerian higher education institutions.
Method: The study adopted an interpretive phenomenological design to examine participants' lived experiences. Guided by three research questions, it investigated the personal and professional motivations for career transition, the influence of prior administrative experience on academic preparedness, and the role of self-confidence, writing ability, and interpersonal relationships in facilitating successful adjustment. Twenty-three participants were purposively and snowball sampled from the University of Ibadan and The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using the Career Transition Interview Schedule for Non-Teaching Staff (CTIS-NTS) and analysed thematically. Results: The findings revealed that career aspirations, opportunities for professional advancement, the desire to contribute to knowledge production, and personal fulfilment were the principal motivations for transitioning into academic careers. Previous administrative responsibilities—including management, office administration, safety and security, and secretarial services—provided transferable competencies such as organisational effectiveness, leadership, discipline, communication, report writing, and interpersonal skills. These competencies enhanced participants' academic self-efficacy, classroom confidence, professional identity, and capacity to adapt successfully to teaching and research responsibilities.
Conclusion: Administrative-to-academic career transition represents a viable but underutilised pathway for strengthening academic workforce capacity in Nigerian higher education. The successful integration of transferable administrative competencies into teaching and research roles demonstrates that prior professional experience can facilitate identity reconstruction, enhance self-efficacy, and improve academic performance.
Unique Contribution: This study extends career transition and higher education literature by conceptualising administrative-to-academic mobility as a strategic talent development pathway. It demonstrates how transferable administrative capital contributes to academic identity formation, professional confidence, and effective role adaptation in higher education institutions.
Key Recommendation: The study recommends that universities and regulatory agencies institutionalise Recognition of Prior Administrative Learning (RPAL) frameworks, incorporate structured mentoring and professional development programmes, and recognise transferable administrative competencies as strategic assets for strengthening academic workforce development.