Chinese students choose vocational training instead of university

Instead of pursuing purely academic courses, many students choose vocational training because of the prospects and opportunities for sustainable development.

In this year’s gaokao, He Xianyu, a student at Zhuji High School in Zhejiang Province, China, scored 604 out of 750 points. With this score, he could have applied to top universities, but He decided to study at Wuchang Polytechnic College in Hubei Province. His choice became a hot topic on social media because Wuchang College is only a vocational school.

He is not attracted by the prestige of a university if it means having to study an undesirable major. The female student's choice is not an isolated case.

At Shenzhen Polytechnic University in Guangdong Province, the admission score for Physics, the school’s flagship program, increased from 595 in 2023 to 617 this year. The school has just changed from a junior college to a vocational university, and this year’s admission score surpassed many prestigious universities. Unlike junior colleges, vocational universities are authorized to award bachelor’s degrees to students.

In Zhejiang, vocational colleges also recorded record high scores. Jinhua Vocational Technology University had the highest admission score of 621, a record for the province's vocational school system.

This trend reflects a systemic shift in China’s higher education system . As of now, there are 87 vocational universities nationwide. After the National People’s Congress issued pilot guidelines in 2019, 51 of them have officially enrolled students and are operating effectively.

Mr. Ton Dong Vu, Vice Principal of Shandong University of Foreign Affairs , said that since 2019, the school has trained more than 10,000 vocational students. The rate of students having stable jobs after graduation is very high.

According to Mr. Ton, the total number of annual applicants to the school, including both vocational and undergraduate programs, has exceeded 10,000 for three consecutive years. Notably, the admission scores for vocational courses are currently 20-40 points higher than those for undergraduate programs, demonstrating the growing appeal of this model.

“Most young people and their parents choose vocational training because of better job prospects. We can ensure that every student finds a job right after graduation,” Mr. Ton affirmed.

To meet the growing demand, the school has built more than 300 training centers in cooperation with businesses, focusing on practical skills close to the real working environment. Students choose the school not because of its reputation but because they want to learn practical skills and find a job right after graduation.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/sinh-vien-trung-quoc-chon-hoc-nghe-thay-dai-hoc-post742932.html