Abstract

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career interest among Malaysian secondary school students has become an important concern, as participation in STEM pathways remains uneven despite continuing policy support and workforce demand. This systematic literature review examined the factors influencing STEM career interest among Malaysian secondary school students through a synthesis of empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, records were retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, and systematic screening resulted in 20 studies being included in the qualitative synthesis. The findings were organised into four themes: social and environmental influences on STEM interest and career choice; psychological and motivational determinants of STEM aspiration, interest, and persistence; gender and differential patterns in STEM career orientation; and STEM education implementation, learning context, exposure, and student readiness. Across the reviewed studies, STEM career interest was consistently associated with parental and peer support, self-efficacy, motivation, career outcome expectations, gender-related experiences, and the quality of STEM learning exposure in school settings. Overall, STEM career interest appears to develop through the interaction of contextual, psychological, and educational factors rather than through a single determinant. The review also highlights methodological gaps in the current Malaysian evidence base and suggests the need for more longitudinal, intervention-based, and contextually diverse research to strengthen future STEM-related policy and practice.

Keywords

STEM Career Interest, Malaysian Secondary School Students, Systematic Literature Review, Influencing Factors,

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References

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