Vocational students' employability skills and career success : exploring the moderating impact of geographic location

Hong, Lin-Ya (2025) Vocational students' employability skills and career success : exploring the moderating impact of geographic location. Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning. pp. 1-24. ISSN 2042-3896

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Abstract

Purpose To enhance career readiness and promote equitable school-to-work transition, this study examines how the development of employability skills influences vocational school students' career success during internship, assessed through both subjective (perceived job success) and objective (job mobility and pay) indicators. The research further investigates the moderating role of geographic location (urban vs rural) in shaping these relationships. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a longitudinal survey design to examine the influence of employability skills on vocational students' career success, with a specific focus on the moderating role of geographic location. Data were collected from vocational school students in rural (Sichuan) and urban (Shanghai) China at two time points – prior to their internships (T1) and near the completion of their placements (T2). This design enables an assessment of regional differences and investigates how both the initial endowment and subsequent development of employability skills shape career success within a culturally diverse and contextually distinct setting. Findings The path modeling analysis shows that both the initial endowment and the development of employability skills significantly predict perceived job success among vocational school students. The endowment of employability skills is less important for objective criteria, while an increase in employability skills is related with greater job mobility, suggesting internships contribute to building human capital, particularly among underrepresented groups. Geographic location moderates only the relationship between employability skills and perceived success, indicating that rural students can offset contextual disadvantages through skill development. These findings offer empirical support that internships provide a relevant context for individuals to develop their employability skills and respond to calls for cross-cultural, longitudinal career research. Research limitations/implications This research was conducted across vocational schools in both rural and urban regions of China, with measurement instruments specifically designed to assess the general employability skills of vocational school students. Practical implications The findings highlight the vital role of employability skill development during internships, especially for students from rural or socially disadvantaged backgrounds. As career paths become increasingly nonlinear and mobility-driven, educators and policymakers must promote equitable access to high-quality internships that intentionally cultivate employability skills to enhance students' perceived job success and career mobility. Vocational institutions can address geographic disparities by embedding soft and technical skill-building strategies into their curricula, thereby enabling students to better navigate the school-to-work transition and ensuring that graduates are equipped with the competencies necessary for sustainable career success in an evolving and competitive labor market. Social implications This study highlights critical social implications related to educational equity and workforce accessibility. While geographic disparities in education are well-documented, the findings suggest that rural vocational students can mitigate such disadvantages by actively developing employability skills. This reinforces the role of education as a social equalizer. For policymakers, the results underscore the need to allocate resources and design targeted interventions that enhance skill-building opportunities in under-resourced rural schools. Enhancing employability through accessible, quality vocational training can support social mobility, reduce regional inequities and promote inclusive economic development by equipping youth across geographic contexts to succeed in an evolving labor market. Originality/value This paper makes an original contribution by empirically examining the dynamic interaction between individual employability skills and contextual factors through two-wave longitudinal data. It offers nuanced insights into how both the initial endowment and subsequent development of employability skills during internships predict subjective and objective career outcomes. Situated within the context of China's urban–rural divide, the findings demonstrate that students from rural areas can mitigate structural disadvantages through targeted skill cultivation. Moreover, the study underscores the role of internships as vital platforms for developing employability competencies. These insights advance career theory, inform education policy and guide the design of more equitable vocational curricula.