Family Culture's Impact on Chinese Students' Employment Intention

Abstract

In 2022, a record 4.57 million individuals in China sat for the postgraduate entrance exam, yet only 1.1 million were admitted to graduate programs. Amidst this intense local competition, the allure of studying overseas has grown among Chinese families, with Thailand emerging as a favored destination due to its affordability and conducive Chinese cultural environment. This research aims to explore how family cultural capital influences the career aspirations of Chinese students in Thailand, focusing particularly on how parental educational expectations act as a mediator in this process. Utilizing a survey method, the study gathered 344 valid responses for analysis. Through descriptive statistics, correlation, and mediation effect analyses, it was found that in Thailand, the cultural capital of a Chinese student's family significantly boosts their career intentions. Moreover, such cultural capital profoundly affects parental expectations regarding education, which in turn positively influences students' career plans. The study highlights the mediating role of parental educational expectations in linking family cultural capital with students' job aspirations. The findings advocate for the importance of nurturing family cultural capital and reducing disparities in cultural capital among families. It recommends moderating parental expectations to lessen the academic load on students, based on the insights gained from the research.