From Professional Engineers to University Lecturers : A Qualitative Inquiry about Motivations, Experiences, and Decision-Making Processes of Second Career-Changing Lecturers

Abstract: Background and Research Questions: The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand the motivations, experiences, and decision-making processes of a group of professional engineers who decided to switch their career pathway from the engineering industry to education and teaching during their mid-age. Based on the Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory, the study was guided by a research question, why would professional engineers decide to switch their career pathway from the engineering industry to education and teaching during their mid-age, particularly in Australia? What are their motivations?  Methodology: In line with the general inductive approach, focus group activity, remarkable item sharing, and member-checking interviews were used to collect in-depth sharing and stories from six participants via the online platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the guidelines of the grounded theory approach, three themes and six subthemes were yielded.  Findings: Personal consideration, surrounding environments and individuals, and interests in career development are the main themes in order to answer the research questions. More importantly, the findings indicated that the sense of belonging, behaviours of others, politics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and career development played significant roles in the motivations, experiences, and decision-making processes of a group of professional engineers who decided to switch their career pathway from the engineering industry to education and teaching during their mid-age.  Contribution to the Practice and Values: This study outlined the motivations, experiences, and decision-making processes of professional engineers who decided to switch careers from the engineering industry to education and teaching during their mid-age. The results of this study would fill the research gaps in human resources and workforce management for university lecturers. University leaders, government agencies, human resources planners, and researchers may use this study as the blueprint to reform and upgrade the current policies in teachers’ shortages.