PROFESSIONAL INTENTIONS OF PEDAGOGICAL STUDENTS: MOTIVATION, EXPECTATIONS AND READINESS TO WORK AS TEACHERS AFTER GRADUATION

Abstract

This article explores the professional intentions of pedagogical students in Ukraine, focusing on their motivation, expectations, and readiness to work as teachers after graduation. The topic’s relevance stems from the transformative processes in contemporary Ukrainian education and the crucial impact of future educators’ professional maturity on the quality of national education. The authors emphasize the need for a thorough study of these factors to improve the content and technologies of future teachers’ professional training.
The article reviews scholarly works on the professional motivation and readiness of future teachers. Modern research highlights the necessity of continuous professional development, scientific and methodological activity, innovative engagement, and adaptation to changes in the educational environment, particularly the implementation of ICT. The influence of broader educational challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and military actions, as well as reforms (e.g., the New Ukrainian School – NUS), on student expectations are also examined. The conclusion is that professional intentions result from the interplay of classic pedagogical ideas and modern educational realities, demanding creativity, continuous learning, and adaptability from future teachers.
To empirically study professional intentions, motivation, and readiness for pedagogical activity, an anonymous online survey was conducted among 100 pedagogical students from various Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipro, and Poltava. A quantitative survey method was used with Google Forms. The questionnaire included both closed and open-ended questions, combining structured surveying with content analysis of free responses. The survey covered sections related to motivation for choosing the profession, expectations from future activities, employment plans, factors that might hinder career realization, and self-assessment of professional readiness. The sample was formed using random sampling through online communities and social networks, ensuring broad coverage of students from different years and regions.
The main motives for choosing the profession were the desire to work with children (“calling”) and job stability in education. Approximately half of the students cited these internal motives. Over 60% of respondents considered their career choice to be conscious. The most common expectations from the profession included flexible working hours and holidays, as well as the opportunity for personal growth and self-realization through teaching children. Expectations of high salaries and public respect were less pronounced. Roughly half of the students expressed a clear readiness to work in a school after graduation, with another 25–30% intending to do so temporarily. About 10–15% do not plan to work in their chosen field.
Among the obstacles and drawbacks of the profession, the most frequently mentioned were low wages, high emotional burden and stress, lack of support from administration or the state, and insufficient practical training during studies. Most students rated themselves as partially ready to work as teachers (less than 25% considered themselves fully ready). Among the suggestions for increasing motivation and readiness, students highlighted: higher salaries, additional pedagogical support and mentorship, practical improvement of training (more school practice), and increased public recognition and respect for teachers.
The survey revealed that future educators have significant interest in teaching, but this is coupled with an awareness of existing difficulties (financial, organizational issues) and a feeling of insufficient preparation. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing material support, improving practical training, and developing mentorship systems to retain young educators in the profession and realize their motivational potential.