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Vocational Students' Employability Skills and Career Success: Exploring the Moderating Impact of Geographic Location

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Title: Vocational Students' Employability Skills and Career Success: Exploring the Moderating Impact of Geographic Location
Language: English
Authors: Lin-Ya Hong (ORCID 0000-0001-5032-3682)
Source: Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning. 2026 16(1):170-193.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 24
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Employment Potential, Geographic Location, Career Readiness, Skill Development, Job Skills, Internship Programs, Foreign Countries, Occupational Mobility, Career Development, Career and Technical Education, Urban Schools, Rural Schools, Career and Technical Education Schools, Education Work Relationship, Income, Student Attitudes
Geographic Terms: China, China (Shanghai)
DOI: 10.1108/HESWBL-08-2025-0329
ISSN: 2042-3896
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.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501546
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Vocational Students' Employability Skills and Career Success: Exploring the Moderating Impact of Geographic Location
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lin-Ya+Hong%22">Lin-Ya Hong</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5032-3682">0000-0001-5032-3682</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education%2C+Skills+and+Work-based+Learning%22"><i>Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning</i></searchLink>. 2026 16(1):170-193.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 24
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Potential%22">Employment Potential</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geographic+Location%22">Geographic Location</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Readiness%22">Career Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Skill+Development%22">Skill Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Skills%22">Job Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Internship+Programs%22">Internship Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+Mobility%22">Occupational Mobility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Development%22">Career Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+and+Technical+Education%22">Career and Technical Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+Schools%22">Urban Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Schools%22">Rural Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+and+Technical+Education+Schools%22">Career and Technical Education Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+Work+Relationship%22">Education Work Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Income%22">Income</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China+%28Shanghai%29%22">China (Shanghai)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/HESWBL-08-2025-0329
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 2042-3896
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: 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.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1108/HESWBL-08-2025-0329
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
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        PageCount: 24
        StartPage: 170
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Employment Potential
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Geographic Location
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Readiness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Skill Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Internship Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Occupational Mobility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career and Technical Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Urban Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rural Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career and Technical Education Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Income
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China (Shanghai)
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Vocational Students' Employability Skills and Career Success: Exploring the Moderating Impact of Geographic Location
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