DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ENHANCING THE CAREER MATURITY OF COLLEGE STUDENTS MAJORING IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN SHANDONG PROVINCE, CHINA

This study aimed to enhance the career maturity of preschool education majors by constructing a structural model of career maturity and clarifying the relationships between perceived career barriers, career identity, career self-efficacy, career preparation behavior, and career maturity. Second, we proposed a training program to enhance career maturity based on this model. We collected a total of 717 valid questionnaires from preschool education majors in Shandong Province, China. We conducted data analysis using SPSS 26 and SMART-PLS 4.0. The results indicated that the structural model demonstrated strong reliability and validity. Career identity, career self-efficacy, and career preparation behavior directly influenced career maturity, while perceived career barriers affected career maturity through the mediating role of career identity. The study suggests that overcoming career barriers, enhancing career identity, career self-efficacy, and career preparation through a structured training program can improve career maturity. This provides new insights for fostering career maturity and has important implications for university career guidance.