Career Choices and Its Influence to Performance : Basis for Career Plan Program

Career choice is a critical developmental decision that shapes individuals’ academic engagement, employability, and long-term career satisfaction. Within the context of increasing employment pressure among Chinese university graduates, understanding how learning-related factors influence students’ career choices and academic performance has become an important concern for higher education institutions. This study examines the effects of learning environment, learning skills, learning behaviors, and learning relationships on undergraduates’ academic performance in a career planning course and their subsequent career choices. Using a quantitative correlational research design, data were collected from 300 undergraduate students at Nanchang Hangkong University through a researcher-developed, expert-validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rho correlation analysis, Mann–Whitney U tests, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were employed to analyze the relationships among learning-related factors, academic performance, and career choice. The findings reveal significant positive relationships between learning-related factors and academic performance, with the learning environment demonstrating the strongest correlation, followed by learning skills, learning behaviors, and learning relationships. Significant differences were also identified across demographic profiles, including age, gender, and preferred extracurricular activities. Overall, students who reported more supportive learning environments, stronger learning skills, and positive learning behaviors achieved higher academic performance and demonstrated clearer career planning orientations. The study provides empirical evidence for higher education administrators and curriculum planners on the importance of optimizing learning environments and strengthening career-oriented skill development. Practical implications for improving career planning courses and enhancing institutional career guidance practices are discussed. Received: 18 January 2026 / Accepted: 22 February 2026 / Published: March 2026