Causal Relationship Model of Career Intention to be Professional Farmers Among High School Students in Rural Thailand

Authors: [1] Chakkaphong Keyen [2] Duchduen Bhanthumnavin [3] Duangduen Bhanthumnavin [4] Kosol Meekhun

Pages: 34-43

Abstract:

Farming in Thailand is regarded as a crucial occupation for developing its economy and society, but the number of farmers has tended to continuously decline. To promote success in increasing students’ career intention to be professional farmers, this career intention was investigated. This study is experimental research. Data from 652 Thai high school students were analyzed by using the path analysis technique. The career intention to be a professional farmer was influenced by psychological state, accounting for 81% of the variance. The most important factor in the psychological state was the stereotype threat toward farmer career, followed by favorable attitude toward farming. Furthermore, persuasion, psychological traits, and situational factors directly affected psychological states, accounting for 88% of the variance. The most important factor for psychological traits was perceived behavioral control in farmer career, followed by agriculture vocational personality. The strongest factor in the situational group was subjective norm, followed by farmer career information exposure. The most important factor for the persuasion group was persuasive reading, followed by persuasive writing. The findings provide valuable inputs to design effective approaches to motivate students’career intention to be a professional farmer. They furthermore help policy makers to support new-generation citizens’engagement in the farming occupation in Thailand