The occupational status of teachers plays an important role in their physical and mental health. Teacher burnout is considered an epidemic. To fill a gap in empirical evidence on the link between job crafting and burnout of teachers, this study investigated work meaning and career calling as two possible mediators between job crafting and burnout. Self-report data were generated by 419 teachers in high school who completed measures of job crafting, work meaning and career calling, and job burnout for testing using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results revealed that job crafting was significantly negatively related to job burnout; the chain mediation model of work meaning and career calling significantly indicated the link between job crafting and burnout. In light of our findings, educational administrations can take some important steps to resolve the problem of burnout. The study specifically stresses the importance of work meaning and career calling as a protective resource for preventing teacher burnout.
Drawing on human capital theory, we examine the role of the quality of information resources (QIR) at employability centers in fostering students’ perceived employability. Time-lagged data were collected in three waves from university students enrolled in diverse faculties. Covariance-based structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. QIR is positively associated with students’ career clarity, which is further linked with job market knowledge and perceived employability. The study offers valuable and actionable insights for academics, policymakers, and career counselors.
Amid the post-2019 migration of Hong Kong residents, Canada has introduced new pathways supporting Hong Kongers’ immigration and workforce participation. This study examined the career experiences of 11 recent Hong Kong immigrants working in Canada using Career Human Agency Theory (CHAT) as a framework. Interviews were analyzed with interpretive phenomenological analysis, which revealed how Hong Kong immigrants exercised intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, and self-reflectiveness in navigating employment and settlement challenges. Findings highlight resilience amid systemic barriers such as deprofessionalization, financial strain, and limited credential recognition, demonstrating CHAT’s applicability in politically motivated immigrant contexts. Implications include the need for policies supporting credential bridging, culturally responsive counseling interventions, and systemic strategies fostering immigrant well-being and integration.
This study provides novel insight into undergraduate students’ motivations for entering university by capturing their perspectives prior to arrival, rather than retrospectively after enrolment, as is more common in the literature. Drawing on responses collected in the weeks before transition, it presents one of the largest pre-arrival qualitative analyses of student motivation across multiple academic disciplines. More than 3200 incoming undergraduates from 12 schools at a large post-92 UK university completed a survey that included an open-ended question about their reasons for entering higher education. Responses were analysed inductively and interpreted through self-determination theory, revealing how students’ accounts reflected needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Four overarching themes were identified: career and employability, subject interest and passion, personal growth and independence and social and experiential factors. Although career-oriented motives were most frequently expressed, they commonly coexisted with intrinsic interests, aspirations for personal development and desires for social connection. Findings demonstrate that students approach university with interconnected motivations, highlighting the complex and anticipatory nature of pre-arrival motivation. This study provides new insights for universities to design early interventions that foster autonomy, build competence and reinforce meaningful connections to learning and community for students from the outset.
This paper examines how sustainability competencies are conceptualized within vocational education and training (VET) and their implications for career development. It combines a bibliometric review of 604 publications (1990–2026) with a scoping review of 118 studies. The findings reveal a consistent imbalance: sustainability is predominantly framed through environmental competencies, while financial and economic dimensions remain weakly integrated. This limits the development of broader competency profiles relevant to emerging occupational pathways. The paper identifies this persistent gap and discusses implications for vocational guidance in supporting sustainable career transitions.
