The influence of individual and environmental factors on career choice among university students in Indonesia: The mediating role of career decision-making self-efficacy

This study investigated the relationships between Individual Factors (IF), Environmental Factors (EF), Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE), and Career Choice (CC) among university students in Indonesia. Using a sample of 300 respondents, data analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine how individual and environmental factors impacted career decision-making and career choices. The results revealed that Individual Factors significantly influenced CDMSE (β = 0.373, z = 1.99, p = 0.046) and Career Choice (β = 0.229, z = 2.23, p = 0.026). Environmental Factors also had a significant impact on CDMSE (β = 1.108, z = 2.96, p = 0.003) and Career Choice (β = 0.601, z = 3.40, p < 0.001). Furthermore, CDMSE was found to be a strong predictor of Career Choice (β = 0.615, z = 3.87, p < 0.001). The model’s R-Square values indicated that it explained 49.9% of the variance in CDMSE and 87.3% in Career Choice. These findings highlighted the substantial influence of both individual traits and environmental factors in shaping career decision-making processes and the eventual career choices students made. Moreover, the study underscored the critical mediating role of self-efficacy in driving career choices. The results had significant implications for the development of career guidance programs, suggesting the importance of fostering self-efficacy in students to improve their career decision-making. This research contributed to a deeper understanding of the factors that influenced career choices among university students in Indonesia.