Women's academic careers are shorter, slower, and progress less than those of men. We investigated gender differences in thinking about leaving an academic career across career stages. Our analysis of data from an online survey of academics in the Czech Republic (1657 individuals) showed that in men, the trajectory of such considerations gradually…

The academic professoriate is a determinant of successful higher education systems. Yet, recently, worsening conditions of employment, deteriorating salaries, and threats to job security have made the academic profession less attractive, especially to young scholars, in several countries. This paper investigates the salaries as well as the…

Given the current shortage of teachers and the diminishing attraction of the teaching profession, it is important to have analytic and systematic studies of teachers' lives and careers, and to locate teachers' lives within a wider contextual understanding. The rationale for this educational research paper is to study Maltese teachers' professional…

This study investigates pre-service teachers' motivations and perceptions about the decision to choose teaching as a career choice. Twenty-seven students who have embarked on teacher education programme in Scotland were interviewed. It was found that students conveyed ambivalent feelings and perspectives in the decision to teach in the sense that…

It is well documented that the construction industry is perceived as an environment dominated by males, and as a result the industry has difficulty attracting qualified female employees. This study examined the female students studying Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) majors at the Ara Institute of Canterbury, New Zealand, and…

Purpose: Undergraduate students have two opposing employment intentions, viz. self-employment intentions and paid-employment intentions (SEIs and PEIs). While a plethora of studies have explored the links between entrepreneurship education (EE) and SEIs, it has been noted that previous studies have ignored the effects of PEIs on the relationship…

We study whether the completion of an optional professional year placement during undergraduate studies enhances job quality, in terms of earnings, job security and career fit, for economics graduates from a UK university. Using linear and discrete choice models, we estimate the effect of doing a professional year placement on four graduate…

Background: The remarkable economic growth in contemporary China is unprecedented, but scholars voice concerns regarding unintended consequences during this transitional phase. Of particular concern is the constant challenge to staff schools with highly qualified teachers. Purpose: This study sets out to understand subtle yet consequential changes…

Teachers who are satisfied with their job are more likely to teach well, which in turn should enable their students to better learn while in school. Sub-Saharan Africa is currently experiencing a learning crisis, with close to nine out of ten children not able to read and understand a simple text at age 10. This affects all types of schools and…

The Gelmini reform implemented in Italy in 2010 was designed to ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness within the higher education (HE) sector. The reform was implemented in a climate of general austerity, which caused severe cuts in public funds for the university system. This paper documents the unintended consequences of the reform in…

This paper examined the factors influencing career choice in Nigeria using the (FIT-choice) scale of Watt and Richardson (2007). The study was guided by three research questions and the suitability of the scale for Nigeria was sought. The study used a survey design using purposive sampling technique to obtain a sample of 225 students from the…

Gender stereotypes are often viewed as one of the root causes of the gender gap in STEM. According to Eccles' model, they would indirectly influence major choices by shaping expectations of success and values attached to the viable options. However, empirical findings on the link between implicit gender-science stereotypes and college major…

This dissertation examines the impact of state educational programs on the economics of education and labor, focusing on the New York State (NYS) STEM Incentive Program and China's tuition-free policy for vocational secondary education (VSE). The first two Chapters analyze the effects of the NYS STEM Incentive Program, an initiative implemented in…

The number of new "Special-post teachers" has decreased considerably, especially at China's rural schools in recent years. This study applies the semi-structured interview data of new "Special-post teachers" in China's rural schools to explore their perceptions on the rural new teachers' problems and challenges at nine…

International attention to improving learning outcomes has increasingly focused on the impact of teachers, those that directly implement national education goals. For small, resource-poor countries where communities have minimal schooling experience, the role of the teacher in building academic knowledge and skills is even more valued, to both…