Building Careers: Key Influences on Career Aspirations in a Danish Problem-Based Learning Setting.

This study investigates the supporting elements of senior engineering students' career aspirations within a problem-based learning (PBL) environment in Denmark, using the systems theory framework of career development. Employing a mixed-method approach—including Q methodology, interviews, and written reflections—the research identifies four key factors shaping career aspirations: engagement with real-world problems, successful transition into industry, professional passion, and future job opportunities. Findings highlight the interplay of individual traits such as self-efficacy and passion with contextual influences like parental support and learning environment, emphasizing the importance of embedded real-world experiences and industry engagement in fostering career aspirations. The study suggests that integrating personalized, adaptive learning and mandatory internships within PBL curricula can better prepare engineering students for their professional futures.