Career choice decisions of Family and Consumer Sciences education recent graduates: implications for recruitment to address the teacher shortage

A national teacher shortage in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) prompted the development of this study. This study examined career motivations of recent graduates of FCS to determine target audiences and marketing strategies for recruitment to address the teacher shortage. Personal, educational, and employment demographics, career choice decisions, and contextual factors of recent graduates of FCS teacher licensure programs in 14 southern states were examined. The study also examined differences between first and second career graduates.

A survey instrument developed by Serow (1994) was adapted for use in this study. Subjects were asked to indicate which of 35 career choice factors and personal values influenced their decision to become a teacher and to choose FCS as a field of study. The instrument was mailed in May 1996 to 494 graduates, whose names were obtained from teacher educators. The final sample consisted of 396 graduates. A total of 262 respondents completed the survey for a return rate of 66%.

All but five of the respondents were female. The average age was 30 years. Ten percent were from minority groups. Over 40% lived and worked in rural areas or towns with under 10,000 population. Eighty-eight percent completed their teacher licensure through a bachelor's degree program. Most made their career choice decision while in college. Employment demographics indicated 43% of respondents were second career graduates, who indicated they had various first careers before seeking teacher certification. A total of 31% of respondents, although certified, were not teaching. Reasons given included not being able to find a job in the geographical area where they wanted to live or being employed in another field.

Interest in FCS subject matter, enjoyment of working with young people, interest in families, helping people, professional satisfaction, and creativity were the reasons most often given as influencing career choice decisions. Cluster analysis of graduates responses on career choice factors revealed five groupings. These are (1) altruistically motivated, (2) interest, flexibility, and variety of career, (3) secondary school experience influenced, (4) socially conscious and friend influenced, and (5) college experience influenced.