Enhancing Graduate Employability through Digital and Intelligent Vocational Skills Training: An Empirical Study of University Students in China

Abstract

Improving graduate employability has become a central concern for higher education under conditions of digital transformation. This study examines the relationship between digitalised vocational skills training and university students’ employability, with a focus on the role of practical competence.

The study adopts a theory-driven quantitative research design based on questionnaire survey data collected from students enrolled in vocationally oriented programmes at four higher education institutions in Dongying City, China. A total of 1,528 valid responses were obtained through telephone surveys, online questionnaires, and on-site distribution. Digitalised vocational skills training, practical competence, and graduate employability were measured using multi-item indicators reflecting training exposure, applied skill development, and early employment-related outcomes.

The results indicate that students’ participation in vocational skills training is strongly employment-oriented, while overall cognitive awareness of training systems remains limited. Misalignment between training content and enterprise practice, insufficient practical opportunities, and outdated instructional methods constrain training effectiveness. In addition, underdeveloped information-based training platforms restrict learning support and resource integration. Overall, digitalised vocational skills training is positively associated with employability outcomes, primarily through the enhancement of practical competence.