A Preliminary Study on Career Readiness and Career Interest in Stem among Stem-Stream Students in Johor, Malaysia

Abstract

This study examines career readiness and career interest in STEM among Form Four STEM-stream students in Johor, Malaysia, in response to increasing demand for a technologically skilled workforce. Despite the strategic importance of this group, empirical evidence focusing specifically on students already enrolled in the STEM stream remains limited. This preliminary study aimed to describe the levels and distribution patterns of career readiness and career interest in STEM, and to assess the feasibility of a larger inferential study. A quantitative descriptive survey design was employed involving 350 students from national secondary schools. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages. The findings indicate that career readiness was relatively high overall (M = 3.63, SD = .80), with most students classified at the high level (65.7%), followed by moderate (32.0%) and low levels (2.3%). In contrast, career interest in STEM was at a moderate level overall (M = 2.17, SD = .52), with the majority of students classified at the moderate (58.0%) and low levels (37.4%), and only a small proportion at the high level (4.6%). These findings suggest that although students appear generally prepared to plan their future pathways, readiness is not uniformly strong and interest in STEM careers remains limited. The study provides baseline evidence for future research and underscores the importance of strengthening career guidance and expanding exposure to diverse STEM pathways during secondary education.