This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examines what influences 7th and 8th grade rural middle school students to consider a potential career trajectory. Phase One of the study includes a demographic and career cluster interest survey of 38 participants. Phase Two of the study focused on 23 of the 38 Phase One participants, who were…

Students' career decision is a relevant topic in career development with scholars and practitioners aiming at understanding which factors can contribute to students decision-making to support them in their career path. In this study, we argue that facilitating conditions can positively influence the career decisions of students. This relationship…

There is a considerable lack of women in the engineering disciplines at tertiary level in New Zealand. This is an economic issue because innovation and creativity in engineering are supported by diversity which directly and indirectly supports the New Zealand economy. Improving diversity in engineering will also improve equity. Literature suggests…

Manufacturers have expressed concerns about talent shortages, citing the perceptions held by students/parents of the industry as a major contributing factor. At the same time, policymakers/educational leaders continue to call for STEM education programming to maintain competitiveness in such industries. Accordingly, manufacturers have launched…

Background: The construction industry remains male dominated, despite the efforts of business and educational institutions to attract women into construction careers. Previous research has examined why female university students study construction management or engineering. To complement this knowledge, there is an opportunity to understand why so…

This study was aimed to explore Chinese college and university students' motivations to study abroad and examining how their career aspiration influence their decision-making process. 5 research questions were developed from this research topic. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was applied. The researcher himself and the face-to-face…

The call to increase student interest in science and related careers continues to receive national attention in the United States. While many current efforts have focused on infrastructure support and innovative pedagogies to better reach and engage students, research suggests that having a career role model can influence adolescents' interest in…

This qualitative study sought to understand the lived experiences of the participants to identify factors that contributed to their decision of becoming a secondary STEM educator. Participants were identified through criterion sampling, which ensured that the participants were (1) female, (2) Hispanic, and (3) and teach mathematics, science, or…

This study contributes to the field of educational careers by exploring all educational career choices, whereas existing literature has focused on only a few. Deploying the push-pull-mooring framework (PPM), several undiscovered influential factors regarding educational career choices were captured. Using qualitative research methods, more…

Since their migration into the U.S., the Hmong people have settled into the Central Valley in and around Fresno, California. While school districts in the area strive for diversity, many of the high schools have yet to include Hmong men as high school counselors. This study utilized a narrative inquiry under the lens of Asian critical theory to…

Background: Currently there are international concerns over teacher recruitment and attrition rates, especially in mathematics and the physical sciences. Much has been written about the recruitment of student teachers and the reasons people give for going into teaching, but little on the broader context of these people's lives and the complex…

As the need for competent Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce and entrepreneurial development continue expanding globally, there is value in assessing if current educational processes expose middle school students to STEM curricula and career guidance at an optimal age. In addition, more research is needed to…

This study aims to determine the factors affecting the occupational choice and career orientation of senior students in Girls Anatolian Imam Hatip High Schools (Religious Vocational High School) and reveal what the students who turn to different occupation groups are affected. The study was conducted using the "phenomenology" pattern,…

This study explored factors that influence the postsecondary career decisions of 427 11th and 12th grade students in a guaranteed tuition-based school district in a Midwestern state. Since 2005, this district has had a "Promise" program where eligible students can get up to 100% of their postsecondary tuition paid to attend a college,…

This study investigated the characteristics and rationale for teacher longevity and success in the secondary agricultural education classroom. The population was 7,300 (N = 7,300) secondary agricultural education teachers in the United States instructing grades 6-12 during 2017-2018. The sample frame was obtained through the National Association…