The influence of social work students’ fieldwork satisfaction on their career intention: a mediation and moderation model

In contemporary China, the social work profession faces the dilemma of social work students’ reluctance to enter the field. Therefore, drawing on human resource management theories, this study proposes and tests hypotheses regarding the effect and underlying mechanisms of social work students’ fieldwork satisfaction on their career intention in social work. Data were collected from 494 social work students undergoing or having recently completed fieldwork in two megacities of Southwest China. Statistical analysis reveals that fieldwork satisfaction not only directly influences students’ career intention but also exerts an indirect effect through the mediation of professional identity toward social work. Additionally, a sense of achievement derived from social work moderates the relationship between fieldwork satisfaction and career intention. Based on these findings, the study discusses how social work agencies and higher education institutions can enhance students’ fieldwork satisfaction and help them achieve a sense of work achievement during internships. The discussion provides insights for increasing social work students’ career intentions and promoting the sustainable development of the social work workforce.