MOTIVATION AND ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES AMONG ECCE STUDENTS

Abstract

This research study titled “Career Motivation, Perspectives, and Anticipated Challenges Among ECCE Students
in Choosing ECCE as a Career”, investigates the factors shaping the professional pipeline of the Early Childhood Care and
Education (ECCE) sector in Malaysia. The study aims to explore what motivates students to pursue a career in this ECCE
field, how students interpret their future profession and the anticipated challenges they might face in the workforce. The
study employed a qualitative case study design and data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed
via deductive thematic analysis. The findings revealed that students' motivations are multifaceted, categorized into intrinsic,
extrinsic, and altruistic drivers. Regarding professional identity, participants expressed a “dual identity”, they view
themselves as skilled educators, yet they perceive society continues to undervalue the profession as “babysitting”. Finally,
students identified severe structural workplace barriers, including inadequate salaries, high child-to-teacher ratios, physical
exhaustion, which leads many to view upward mobility into lecturing or administration as necessary for a sustainable career.
The study concludes that while an internal sense of “calling” and altruism successfully attract individuals to the ECCE
profession, these factors are insufficient for long-term retention in the face of systemic undervaluation. The key takeaway
is that workforce stability requires systemic changes, specifically wage parity and enhanced professional recognition, to
align societal status with the critical importance of early childhood development.