An Empirical Study on Career Orientation Intention among Economics Students in Vietnam: A PLS-SEM Approach
Bui Thi Quyen
Dao Thi Ha Anh*
Vu Thi Minh Hien
Nguyen Tien Thang
Nguyen Minh Hieu
Career orientation plays a critical role in shaping students’ career decisions and long-term professional development, particularly for economics students facing increasing labor market uncertainty in emerging economies. This study investigates the factors influencing career orientation among economics students in Vietnam by employing PLS-SEM. Drawing on Social cognitive career theory, the Theory of planned behavior, and Self-determination theory, the proposed model integrates job related characteristics, social influence, and individual psychological factors. Data were collected from 393 economics students in Vietnam and analyzed using SmartPLS 4. The results indicate that person job fit is the strongest determinant of career motivation, while career motivation exerts a significant direct effect on career orientation. Social influence also has a positive and significant impact on career orientation. In contrast, job related factors such as career development opportunities, income expectations, and work environment influence career orientation primarily through the mediating role of career motivation rather than through direct effects. The model demonstrates strong explanatory power, accounting for 75.1% of the variance in career orientation. These findings contribute to career development literature by providing empirical evidence from a developing country context and highlight the importance of aligning job characteristics, social context, and psychological resources in supporting students’ career orientation.
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