Perceived supervisor support and learner’s career curiosity: the mediating effect of sense of belonging, engagement and self-efficacy

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the relationship between perceived supervisor support (PSS) and learner career curiosity and tests the mediating role of sense of belonging, engagement and learning self-efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a three-wave repeated cross-sectional data collected from 509 final-year undergraduate students of 11 Nigerian public universities, who had completed the compulsory work placement to analyze the influence of PSS on learner’s career curiosity via a parallel mediation involving sense of belonging, engagement (behavioural, emotional and cognitive) and self-efficacy.

Findings

The results show that engagement mediates the path through which PSS influences career curiosity. However, the authors found no evidence that sense of belonging and self-efficacy mediated the relationship between PSS and learner’s career curiosity in this population.

Originality/value

The findings of this study highlight the importance of PSS as a resource that influences learner’s career curiosity, particularly during a work placement.

Citation

Okolie, U.C., Ochinanwata, C., Ochinanwata, N., Igwe, P.A. and Okorie, G.O. (2021), "Perceived supervisor support and learner’s career curiosity: the mediating effect of sense of belonging, engagement and self-efficacy", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 966-982. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-09-2020-0207