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

Abstract

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