How well can the theory of planned behaviour account for occupational intentions?

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) has been used extensively to predict a wide range of behavior and behavioral intention, but little of this research has been in the vocational realm. We advance on existing knowledge by testing the capacity an extended version of TPB to explain intentions to work for the UK’s National Health Service as a nurse, physiotherapist or radiographer amongst three groups in contrasting situations: professionally unqualified (N = 507), in professional training (N = 244), and professionally qualified (N = 227). We also examine the role of alternative career intentions. Our results provide strong confirmation for attitude and subjective norm as predictors of behavioral intention, with or without controlling for alternative career intentions. There is some support for perceived behavioral control as a predictor of intention, but less for moral obligation and identity. As hypothesised, attitude is a stronger predictor of intention amongst the qualified respondents than the other two groups. The amount of variance in intention explained by TPB variables is less than in most other studies for the unqualified and in-training groups. We suggest that TPB, although useful in the vocational context, is less effective for the bigger and harder-to-implement decisions in life than for smaller and easier to implement ones. We conclude that the absolute and relative importance of some TPB variables varies with personal circumstances, and that proposed extensions to TPB may not always be necessary.