Future work self and career calling in vocational education students: Workplace learning as a mediator and mentoring as a moderator

Abstract

We explored the role of workplace learning and mentoring in the relationship between future work self and career calling among students. The nationwide sample comprised 741 Science and Engineering students from six higher vocational colleges in China (female = 46.56%; mean age = 19.23 years, SD = 1.05 years). The students completed the Future Work Self Scale, the Internship-Related Learning Outcomes Scale, the Mentoring Functions Questionnaire, and the Chinese Calling Scale. The future work self was significantly associated with higher career calling. Workplace learning played a partial mediating role between future work self and career calling among students, resulting in higher career calling. Mentoring played a moderating role in the process of workplace learning on career calling, and the interaction between mentoring and workplace learning strongly influenced career calling, with a higher mentoring making it stronger. These findings suggest a need for mentored workplace learning interventions to support career calling among college students.