This study examines how the congruence between students' vocational interests and their chosen career paths influences their motivation for school and academic success. Congruence here refers to the fit between one's vocational interests and the educational or work environment. Theoretical predictions suggest that a stronger fit should lead to increased motivation for learning or work, resulting in better academic performance or job outcomes. The research involved 295 male students aged 16 to 18 in the second and third grades of vocational schools, studying across 19 different occupational fields. Student interests were assessed within Holland's framework using Personal Globe Inventory (PGI), while educational profiles were derived from occupations in the O*Net database. Congruence was estimated by Pearson correlation coefficient. Motivation was evaluated using the Multidimensional School Motivation scale, covering various motivational regulations from amotivation to intrinsic motivation. Academic achievement was quantified using Grade Point Average (GPA). Results indicated a moderate average interest-occupation fit (Mr = .33), with congruence weakly correlated with academic achievement (r = .19) and negatively correlated with two motivational regulations, i.e., amotivation (r = -.19) and external-social motivation (r = -.19). Interestingly, there was no significant link between interest-occupation congruence and more intrinsically motivated behaviours for schooling. The implications of these findings were discussed in terms of career guidance and educational counselling in vocational schools.

Authors:
Toni Babarovic, Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Croatia
Eta Krpanec, Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Croatia
Iva Cernja Rajter, Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Croatia
Iva Sverko, Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Croatia

About the Presenter(s)
Toni Babarović is a senior scientific advisor at the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences in Zagreb, Croatia.

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