The purpose of this descriptive and correlational study was to determine whether Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career interest is influenced by mental rotation skills and mathematics self-efficacy. Three hundred thirty-two public secondary students of New Corella District, Division of Davao del Norte were selected as respondents through stratified random sampling. Adapted questionnaires were used to determine the level of mental rotation skills, mathematics self-efficacy, and the STEM career interest of students. Data were analyzed using mean, Pearson-r and regression analysis. The findings suggested that the students mental rotation skills is poor. Students mathematics self-efficacy in terms of mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasions, and physiological states are fairly evident. Moreover, the STEM career interest of students is evident. Furthermore, students mathematics self-efficacy and STEM career interest have a significant relationship, while mental rotation skills and students STEM career interest do not have a significant relationship. The results highlighted the importance of mental rotation skills and mathematics self-efficacy in improving the career interest of students in the field of STEM education. Teachers may employ a diverse array of strategies to cultivate students interests in STEM careers for the future by fostering a supportive environment where students are encouraged not to be overly self-critical in pursuit of knowledge, instilling the essential confidence needed for them to pursue their career aspirations within STEM fields.

Mathematics education

mental rotation skills

mathematics self-efficacy

STEM career interest

descriptive and correlational design

Pearson r

regression analysis

Davao del Norte

Philippines