China's vocational universities attract more students with broader job opportunities

Contestants compete during a contest of electricians, part of a national vocational skills competition, in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Tao Liang)

BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chen Yuxuan, a high school graduate from east China's Zhejiang Province, recently made headlines by choosing to attend a vocational university rather than a general university, despite scoring 602 points, 110 points above the provincial university admission threshold.

Chen's unconventional decision to choose vocational education, which has long been stereotyped or even stigmatized in China, has sparked widespread debate on Chinese social media. Some people questioned whether this was a "waste" of her high college entrance test score.

However, Chen had a good reason for the choice. As China has been facilitating the development of its vocational education in recent years, vocational universities have emerged as an increasingly popular option for students by providing practical career-oriented training that brings broader job opportunities.

In 2019, China's Ministry of Education unveiled the first batch of 15 vocational universities, all upgraded from vocational schools. Currently, the country boasts over 50 vocational universities qualified to award bachelor's diplomas equivalent to degrees issued by general universities.

In 2023, China's vocational universities enrolled 89,900 students, a 17.82 percent increase from the previous year, accounting for about 1.6 percent of the total enrollment of higher vocational education institutions nationwide that year.

According to Zheng Bing, executive president of Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology, the university has seen increasing enrollment since its bachelor programs began to recruit students in 2019, with relatively high entry scores for vocational education.

Chen, who has joined Zhejiang Polytechnic University of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, said her choice was based on her future career considerations. The rail transportation equipment and control technology program she selected boasts a graduate employment rate of over 98 percent in recent years, with some alumni securing positions at leading enterprises like CRRC Corporation Limited.

"I considered other universities but was ultimately drawn to Zhejiang Polytechnic University of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering due to strong job prospects," Chen said.

In the current tough labor market, vocational universities are highly attractive due to their high graduate employment rates, driven by career-oriented courses and majors that meet social and industrial demands.

Zhang Youneng, a teacher at the School of Mechanical and Electrical Technology of Guangdong Industry Polytechnic University, noted that over 50 percent of the courses are practical, focusing on problem-solving, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Mao Liangyu, a student majoring in big data technology and application at Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology, said practical training and internship weigh more than theoretical study in his program. He noted that over 90 percent of the 57 students in his class have already secured jobs.

Founded in June this year, China Civil Affairs University, affiliated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, is China's first university offering undergraduate studies in the civil affairs sector. It will enroll students in five majors including marriage services, elderly care and funeral management, aiming to meet the rapidly growing demand for social services.

Guangdong Industry Polytechnic University began enrolling undergraduate students for its newly established modern logistics management major. Han Baoguo, a faculty member at the university's School of Finance and Trade, said the new major is designed to train logistics project planners and data analysts who are crucial for the digital transformation of the logistics industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

According to a set of guidelines on promoting the high-quality development of modern vocational education released in 2021, China expects to see the enrollment of vocational universities accounting for no less than 10 percent of the total higher vocational education enrollment by 2025.

Experts emphasize the need to enhance teaching standards, course design and internships to ensure the steady development of vocational universities in China. However, some caution that vocational institutions might risk losing their practical focus if they begin to emulate general universities.

According to Zheng Bing, vocational universities need to develop and refine mechanisms linking employment, training and enrollment while developing collaborative talent training plans with enterprises to ensure high-quality employment outcomes for graduates.