Location: Home >> The Interplay of Career-related Teacher Support and Proactive Career Behavior in Shaping Vocational College Graduates’ Employability: The Mediating Role of Self-efficacy
Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study examines how career-related teacher support (CRTS) and proactive career behavior (PCB) jointly shape vocational college graduates’ perceived employability (PE), with self-efficacy (SE) as a mediating mechanism. Survey data were collected from 526 final-year vocational college students in China and analyzed using PLS-SEM. Results indicate that CRTS has a positive total effect on PE, primarily through promoting PCB. However, SE exerts a significant but negative mediating effect between CRTS and PE, while failing to mediate the PCB–PE relationship. PCB does not directly predict PE unless embedded within supportive educational contexts. These findings highlight the context-dependent operation of SCCT mechanisms and suggest that excessive or directive support may inadvertently undermine graduates’ autonomous employability perceptions. The study contributes to employability theory by revealing the dual psychological effects of educational support in vocational settings.
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Xiaoyan Xia, Sazali Bin Yusoff, Xiong Yu. The Interplay of Career-related Teacher Support and Proactive Career Behavior in Shaping Vocational College Graduates’ Employability: The Mediating Role of Self-efficacy. OA Journal of Education Research, 2025, 4(1), 15-20.
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