THE CAUSAL MODEL OF CAREER ADAPTABILITY FORTEACHER EDUCATION GRADUATES IN SICHUAN PROVINCE, CHINA

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to explore the causes of career adaptability among graduates of teacher education programs in Sichuan Province, China. Currently, there is a lack of data on the models and potential causal mechanisms of the influencing factors, which is crucial for developing targeted employment guidelines.

methodology: This study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative survey data from 400 teacher graduates (selected via cluster and random sampling) with qualitative interviews from 23 experts. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, PLS-SEM, and content analysis to respectively examine variable distributions, test causal relationships, and interpret qualitative themes.

Results: The theoretical model demonstrated a good fit with the empirical data (SRMR = 0.0397, dULS = 1.4244, dG = 0.5663). Personality traits, transformational leadership, and social support were found to have significant positive direct effects on both employability skills and career adaptability. Employability skills also exhibited a positive direct effect on career adaptability. All observed variable factor loadings were statistically significant (p < 0.05), with the model explaining 52.93% of the variance in employability skills and a substantial proportion of variance in career adaptability.

Conclusions: This study advances Career Construction Theory by proposing and validating an integrated model that synthesizes dispositional, contextual, and skill-based determinants of career adaptability. It uniquely demonstrates the structural relationships and mediating mechanisms among these dimensions within China's regional teacher education context, extending the theory's cross-cultural applicability. The research provides an evidence-based, multi-level framework that bridges theoretical insights with practical interventions for enhancing teacher graduates’career readiness.