Is Teaching Still a Choice? Perceived Career Prospects, Social Factors, and Interest in Teaching among Senior High School Students in Bangka Belitung

Mahfudz Reza Fahlevi; Hilhamsyah Hilhamsyah; Alise de Fatima Noronha

doi:10.58421/gehu.v5i5.2037

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58421/gehu.v5i5.2037

Authors

Mahfudz Reza Fahlevi IAIN Syaikh Abdurrahman Siddik Bangka Belitung https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6776-7148
Hilhamsyah Hilhamsyah Universitas Ahmad Dahlan https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8412-5377
Alise de Fatima Noronha Instituto Superior Cristal

Keywords:

Bangka Belitung Archipelago, Career Prospects, Interest in Becoming a Teacher, Senior High School Students, Social Factors

Abstract

Teacher regeneration is critical for sustaining national education quality, yet youth interest in this profession is reportedly declining. Limited empirical evidence exists regarding how career perceptions and social factors shape this interest among final-year secondary students, particularly in archipelagic regions with strong extractive industrial pulls such as Bangka Belitung. This study aims to examine the associations between perceived career prospects, social factors, and interest in becoming a teacher among 12th-grade senior high school students in Bangka Belitung Province. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was employed. A total of 753 twelfth-grade students were involved, with 100 participating in instrument testing and 653 completing the main survey. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using multiple linear regression with robust standard errors via Python (Google Colab platform). The regression model explained 45.8% of the variance in interest in becoming a teacher (R² = .458; F = 244.1, p < .001). Perceived career prospects emerged as a significant unique statistical predictor (β = 0.492, p < .001), whereas social factors did not show a significant independent association (β = -0.043, p = .338). These findings indicate that student interest in the Bangka Belitung archipelago is primarily associated with pragmatic career considerations, whereas traditional social values alone do not meaningfully drive career choice in this context. The results can inform regional policy reforms, particularly those aimed at improving tangible job prospects and professional conditions to prevent a potential talent gap in the education sector. Future research should further explore the roles of self-efficacy and digital information exposure using qualitative or mixed-methods approaches.

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