Examining pedagogical innovations in enhancing student competence and employability in the vocational education of Guangdong, China

The question of improving students’ technical skills and competences and integrating young people into intended labour market has been widely debated in the field of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), with scholars such as (Guo and Lamb, 2010) arguing an enormous change in TVET system in China in meeting skilled labour needs in rapid developing industry. However, studies have not adequately addressed the issue of innovating TVET pedagogies (i.e., workplace learning, blended learning, design thinking, and student mentoring) to build up vocational students’ competences and employability skills in making Chinese TVET systems more responsive to labor market needs. Based on the census data reported by Department of Education of Guangdong Province – Annual Report of Higher Vocational Education Quality (2017), we explored potential pedagogical innovations of all higher vocational colleges in Guangdong province to address TVET pedagogical innovations with special attention to vocational students’ employability and competences and to explore the organizational factors that contribute to the implementation of TVET pedagogy innovations. Desk-based research on literature and government reports indicated that the overall employment rate in Guangdong province has greatly been influenced by pedagogical reforms and innovative institution-enterprise cooperation. By closely examining TVET pedagogy innovations around the theory-practice gap, the study has shed new light on vocational students’ employability and competences in the context of Chinese TVET system. Further research using mixed-method case studies on this issue will be discussed. Copyright © 2017 The Education University of Hong Kong.