Developing future managers through moral competence and academic mentoring: a longitudinal study of engagement and willingness to succeed at work

Purpose To examine longitudinal associations between academic outcomes and career orientation among undergraduates participating in a mentoring programme informed by moral competence development. Design/methodology/approach A cohort of 370 students was followed from 2023 to 2025. The programme combined academic and professional mentoring with activities encouraging moral reflection. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) assessed within-year, temporal and indirect relationships between academic outcomes (AM) and career-related orientation (WSW). Findings Positive associations between AM and WSW were observed across all three years, together with significant relationships between successive measurements. Indirect paths also linked outcomes across periods. Moral competences were not measured directly; therefore, their mediation and the causal effects of mentoring cannot be established. Research limitations/implications The single-institution sample, absence of a control group and programme-specific indicators limit causal and wider construct-level interpretations. Practical implications The findings support considering academic guidance and career-related learning together from the early stages of university education, without attributing improvements to particular programme components. Social implications Moral reflection may complement academic and career guidance, although wider societal outcomes were not assessed. Originality/value The study offers longitudinal evidence on the connection between academic and career-related outcomes within a morally oriented mentoring context, distinguishing observed relationships from proposed developmental mechanisms.