European countries and beyond face challenges recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects (EC, 2023). The lack of qualified teachers impacts students' learning and achievement (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019; Reinsfield & Lee, 2022) and undermines the EC goals of quality and equity in education (EC, 2023). Furthermore, STEM teacher shortages may hinder countries' scientific and economic development (Black et al., 2021; Wiggan et al., 2021).

The shortage is caused by declining numbers of student teachers and teacher attrition throughout their careers, with particularly high rates among beginning teachers (Dolton, 2020; García et al., 2022). To address beginning teachers' attrition, diverse induction programmes were formed, typically including mentoring, reduced teaching hours, and professional development activities (Ronfeldt & McQueen, 2017). To recruit student teachers, many countries target career-changing professionals (White et al., 2025), since career change is a common phenomenon in today's job market (Barclay et al., 2011).

Recruiting high-tech professionals as STEM teachers is a means to reduce the shortage in these disciplines. These professionals possess extensive content knowledge, organizational experience, and personal maturity. They bring industry expertise to the classroom and provide students with relatable role models who have successfully navigated professional careers (Dos Santos, 2021; Hogg et al., 2023). Furthermore, their mere presence can contribute to diversifying the education system since they often come from populations that typically do not pursue teaching as a first career—men and high-achieving academics (Ruitenburg & Tigchelaar, 2021; Guberman et al., 2025).

Nonetheless, career-change high-tech professionals are neither 'teaching-ready' nor immune from attrition. Their attrition stems from inadequate preparation and unsuccessful school integration due to personal, professional, and organizational factors (Hogg et al., 2023). The primary personal factor is dissatisfaction with teaching. Career changers with high expectations for success often perceive initial difficulties as unchangeable and indicative of personal unsuitability for the profession. Poor student relationships are particularly damaging. Professional factors include inadequate working conditions, low wages, excessive workload, and work-life balance challenges. Organizational factors are school-specific, encompassing insufficient support and poor collegial relationships (Hogg et al., 2023; Watters & Diezmann, 2015; White et al., 2025).

The findings above identify significant challenges that may hinder career changers' integration and retention as schoolteachers. However, examining isolated challenges does not provide a holistic understanding of career-change teachers' professional trajectory from their decision to enter teaching, nor how earlier stages influence later ones. To address these questions, this study explores career-change STEM teachers' satisfaction with their initial teacher education programme and school induction, and how these relate to their perceived contribution to the education system and intentions to persevere.

This study focused on participants in Israel's "From High-Tech to Teaching" programme, which has recruited middle-aged STEM professionals to address teacher shortages since 2013. The programme offers financial support during studies, individual consultation, and professional networking opportunities. All beginning teachers in Israel, including these career changers, participate in a supportive academic workshop and receive two years of individual mentoring. Additionally, career-change high-tech teachers receive higher wages than other beginning teachers.

The research questions were:

1. How satisfied are career-change STEM teachers with their integration into the education system? Do they plan to remain in teaching?
2. How are their evaluations of their teacher education programme, induction into school (school support and academic workshop), and contribution to the education system related to each other and to their intentions to persevere?
3. How do career-change STEM professionals perceive their current position as teachers?

A mixed-methods study was conducted using a concurrent design: The first two questions were answered through quantitative analysis, whereas the third question was answered through qualitative analysis of interviews with career-change teachers. The quantitative study Participants: 219 career-change STEM teachers who participated in the "From High-Tech to Teaching" programme between 2017 and 2023, representing 13% of programme participants during those years. Data gathering: Participants completed a self-report questionnaire about their professional trajectory. First, they rated the extent to which different aspects of their pre-service studies prepared them for teaching. Then, they evaluated support received during their first year from school staff and the academic workshop. Next, they indicated whether they taught particularly challenging classrooms and assessed their contribution to the education system. Finally, they stated their intention to remain in teaching for the next five years. A link to the questionnaire was sent through the programme's administrative unit. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. At the questionnaire's end, participants indicated willingness to be interviewed. Those who agreed received a separate link to provide contact information. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee. Data analysis: Using SPSS 29, participants’ responses were grouped into scales. Descriptive analyses, linear regression, and SEM path analysis (AMOS) were performed. The qualitative study Participants: 31 programme alumni (19 male) were interviewed. Data gathering and analysis: Participants were asked about their motivation for choosing teaching, whether they considered it a successful career move, any initiatives they led as teachers, and their future plans. Inductive thematic analysis was performed, informed by literature on career-change teachers' challenges (Guest et al., 2012).

The majority (90%) of participants reported successful integration into the education system, and 85% intended to remain in the profession. Path analysis showed that high-quality pre-service studies and participants' sense of contribution to the education system directly predicted intention to stay in teaching. Professional and administrative support during the first year indirectly fostered retention by enhancing satisfaction with school integration and reinforcing participants' sense of contribution. Notably, teaching challenging classrooms during the induction year decreased teachers' satisfaction but as they gained experience it enhanced their sense of contribution. Interviews indicated that teaching was perceived as a successful career choice when teachers had positive student interactions. Participants described joy and satisfaction from student relationships and fostering growth, particularly among challenging students. They believed their professional experience inspired and motivated students. Participants' initiatives primarily involved introducing innovative pedagogies and exposing students to professional opportunities, which they believed improved the education system. However, interviewees identified factors negatively affecting persistence: cumbersome bureaucracy, low salaries, heavy workload, and the profession's low status. These findings demonstrate largely successful integration of career-change STEM teachers into schools. Theoretically, the research reveals how pre-service education influences retention through mediating factors such as satisfaction with school integration and perceived contribution to the education system. Notably, challenging classrooms that initially frustrate beginning teachers become sources of meaningful impact for experienced teachers, thus strengthening retention. Practically, the results identify critical barriers that require policy attention (bureaucracy, low salaries, heavy workload, low professional status). Taken together, this study offers a potentially replicable model for retaining career-changing STEM teachers.

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