This paper examines why teaching is chosen as a career, and considers the extent to which a range of factors identified within a sample of 173 students from kindergarten and primary school pedagogy, early childhood education and applied didactics in primary school. The study is based on the responses to a questionnaire applied to students involved in initial teacher training (bachelor and master program). The findings showed that those in the process of training to teach were attracted to the profession largely for intrinsic reasons, although, to a lesser extent, there was extrinsic motivation too. The implications of these findings show that more research is needed to understand how reforms in curriculum and professional development affect teacher motivation.