Examining The Relationship Between Internship Satisfaction, Social Support, And Career Intention Among Business Students In Ho Chi Minh: The Mediating Role Of Career Decision Self-Efficacy.

Abstract

The research aims to study the influence of internship satisfaction, as well as social support on career intention among business students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, which highlight the role of career decision self-efficacy as a mediator. Based on social cognitive theory, the study indicates that internship satisfaction and social support evaluate the relationship between career intentions and career decision self-efficacy in college students. A quantitative research design was adopted, with data obtained through a survey of 282 business students who are interning or had completed internships in Ho Chi Minh City. The study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate proposed correlations. The findings indicate that internship satisfaction is positively associated with career intention whereas social support had no effect on that variable. The mediation role of career decision self-efficacy between internship satisfaction and career intention, social support, and career intention is supported. In addition, the study also contributes to the existing knowledge by presenting empirical evidence on how internship experiences and social support systems help to improve the career decision-making of Vietnamese university students. The results provide valuable information for universities and internship providers to improve internship quality and cultivate supportive work environments that contribute to enhancing business students' performance of career intentions and decision-making clarity.