“I’m curious – What influenced your decision not to pursue teaching after graduation?”

The growing number of education graduates who choose not to pursue teaching after graduation raises critical questions about the effectiveness and alignment of teacher preparation programs. While teacher education is often designed with the expectation that graduates will enter the teaching profession, various personal, social, and structural factors may influence alternative career choices. Literatures are focused on on the teacher retention and attrition among in-service teachers and less in the graduate prior to entering teaching career path. This qualitative case study explored the post-graduation career decisions of teacher education graduates who opted to choose different career path. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with six participants and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that many graduates entered teacher education unintentionally or due to limited access to preferred courses. Although some developed motivation during teaching practice, others were discouraged by the perceived demands, low salary, and limited flexibility of the teaching profession. Graduates also cited personal uncertainty, social influence, and the appeal of financially rewarding or flexible careers in other sectors. Despite this, many acknowledged the transferability of teaching competencies and expressed openness to return to the profession under better conditions. The study highlights the importance of strengthening early orientation, career guidance, and professional identity development within teacher education programs. It also underscores the need for policy reforms that address compensation, workload, and employment pathways to make teaching a more attractive and sustainable career option.