Abstract
Introduction This study aimed to develop and validate a career interest assessment for secondary school students in Kazakhstan. The instrument was adapted from the 48-item Agile Work Profiler (AWP) through pilot testing and consultation with career guidance specialists, resulting in a refined 22-item measure focused specifically on career interests. Methods Exploratory factor analysis was conducted with students aged 11–17 ( N = 4,634), followed by confirmatory factor analysis using an independent sample ( N = 634). Multiple regression analyses were also performed to examine associations with language of instruction, gender, and age. Results The results supported a stable seven-factor structure with satisfactory internal consistency ( α > .70) and evidence of measurement invariance. Associations with language of instruction and gender were domain-specific and theoretically consistent, while age effects were minimal. Discussion Overall, the findings suggest that the instrument is a psychometrically robust and contextually grounded tool with practical value for counsellors and educators in multilingual educational settings.