A tool for gauging factors in university students’ career perspectives

The growing view of students as customers and universities as service providers has pushed higher education institutions toward adopting marketing-oriented strategies. Yet, students enter university with diverse aspirations—ranging from academic achievement and personal growth to autonomy, career goals, and social relationships. As such, their choice of institution is deeply influenced by personal perceptions and expectations, particularly regarding goal fulfillment and career development. What factors do students perceive as critical in evaluating how effectively a university can support their career aspirations? This study aims to develop a reliable and valid measurement tool to identify the key factors influecinf student confidence in this regard. An initial scale was constructed based on a comprehensive literature review and subsequently refined with input from subject-matter experts. The scale was first tested on a sample of more than 500 Spanish students to examine its psychometric properties. The main findings suggest that the scale is both reliable (alpha Chronbach’s = 0.85, CR > 0.7) and valid (AVE > 0.5). Subsequently, a Structural Equation Model (SEM) was applied to examine the relationships among factors. The latent constructs demonstrated strong interrelations through a well-fitting path model, suggesting that the scale can provide valuable insights into areas where institutions might enhance support for student success and well-being.