Career-Related Social Support, Career Self-Management Behavior and Employability of Tourism and Hospitality Undergraduates: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Ambition

This study examines Ghanaian undergraduate tourism and hospitality (T&H) students’ perception of employability, focusing on the impact of support systems and career management strategies. Specifically, it examines whether self-efficacy and ambition help explain the relationship between career-related social support (PCRSS), career self-managed behavior (CSMB), and employability outcomes. A quantitative approach was used, involving survey data from 593 third- and final-year students across four public tertiary institutions in Ghana. The direct and indirect relationships among the key constructs were measured using PLS-SEM. The study found that PCRSS and CSMB did not directly affect employability; instead, their effects were indirect. Psychological traits significantly influence employability, suggesting that students’ confidence and motivation to pursue their goals are crucial for achieving career support and career behaviors. The study explores psychological factors influencing employability in a developing country’s T&H sector, enhancing Social Cognitive Career Theory by emphasizing the link between self-efficacy and ambition.