Development of the International Career Intention Scale for University Students

Abstract

Nowadays, pursuing a career overseas has become a viable choice for numerous individuals. The motivation for individuals to pursue careers abroad is influenced by a combination of various push and pull factors. University students and recent graduates, particularly, express a strong inclination towards seeking employment opportunities abroad, driven by economic and social considerations. They believe that working overseas offers the potential for higher income, improved working conditions, and an elevated standard of living. The objective of this research is to create a scale that is both valid and reliable in measuring the career intentions of students who are studying sports at universities in the Republic of Turkey. The international career intention scale was developed using Churchill's (1979) scale development steps, which are supported by relevant literature and provide a strong theoretical foundation. Following the completion of the literature review, a series of comprehensive interviews were carried out with 11 students who explicitly stated their desire to pursue a career overseas. Explanatory factor analysis (EFA) was utilized to ascertain the underlying structures of the International Career Intention Scale phenomenon. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to statistically validate the structure that emerged from the analyses. After analyzing the data, a final model with 4 dimensions and 11 expressions was tested using DFA. The results of the analysis showed that the values obtained indicate a perfect fit between the model and the data. These values, which include X²: 89.249, X²/df: 2.41, GFI: .94, AGFI: .90, CFI: .97, TLI: .96, IFI: .97, and RMSEA: .076, are higher than the reference values found in the literature. The statistical analysis has confirmed the validity and reliability of the YDKN scale developed for this research.

Keywords

• university
• student
• career
• intention
• abroad