Homecoming Employment Intentions Under Rural Talent Revitalization Policy: A Case Study in Guizhou

Abstract

In the context of China’s Rural Talent Revitalization Strategy and mounting employment pressures on college graduates, this study examined how rural-origin students form homecoming employment intentions. Drawing on qualitative-led mixed methods with 11 participants from Guizhou, the findings revealed a strong yet conditional willingness shaped by economic, social, familial, and personal push-pull factors. The study extended Push-Pull Theory by incorporating psychological and cultural dimensions. From a policy standpoint, the results pointed to the importance of strengthening policy communication and improving rural job quality to better align student aspirations with rural revitalization goals. By focusing intently on the formative process of career intention within the high-stakes context of Rural Revitalization, this study contributed not only to academic knowledge but also to inform more effective and empathetic strategies for engaging the next generation in the vital work of rural reconstruction.