APCD Journal Vol 5, No 1, Article 2

Title

Factors that Motivate Asia Pacific University Students to Pursue Careers in Human Resources

• Dr. Scott Springer, Organizational Leadership, Brigham Young University, Hawaii
• Moana Numanga, Human Resources, Brigham Young University, Hawaii

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that motivate university students from Asia Pacific countries studying at an American university to select human resources (HR) as a possible career path. The qualitative research method of focus groups was used to collect data from 37 university students from a private university in the western United States who self-declared HR as their primary or secondary area of study in their bachelor’s degree programs. The study’s findings revealed the primary motivating factors for Asia Pacific university students to pursue HR as a career were the following:

• perception that HR is a career in which participants could help others and make a difference in their countries
• an interest in the tasks of HR as a profession
• a belief that HR provided a high likelihood of securing employment after graduation