<p>This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based early career development intervention program for children from low-income rural families in China. Using a quasi-experimental design with intervention (<i>n</i> = 98) and control (<i>n</i> = 91) groups, the study assessed changes in career adaptability and socio-emotional self-efficacy among fourth-grade students from primary schools. The intervention integrated career exploration activities with socio-emotional capacity building through a 6-month program involving a summer camp, follow-up activities, and letter correspondence support. Outcome evaluation showed significant improvements in the intervention group’s career concern, career curiosity, social self-efficacy, and emotional self-efficacy relative to the comparison group. Qualitative findings from focus groups revealed five key elements contributing to these improvements: self-awareness cultivation, career information transmission, role modeling, encouragement, and successful experience accumulation. The study demonstrates the potential of integrating career development with psychosocial interventions for rural children and highlights the importance of contextualizing such programs in local socio-cultural environments. These findings provide implications for designing early career development interventions for children from disadvantaged backgrounds in developing contexts.</p>