THE IMPACT OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL ON EMPLOYABILITY DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHINESE VOCATIONAL COLLEGE GRADUATES

Abstract

At present, China has positioned vocational education as an important component of its strategy for economic development and the cultivation of skilled professionals. However, differences in employability development among higher vocational college graduates have attracted increasing academic attention, particularly regarding employment opportunities, career development, and the recognition of vocational competencies. This study argues that employability outcomes cannot be fully explained by individual skills and educational attainment alone. Drawing on capital theory, this study examines how the acquisition, recognition, and transformation of cultural capital and social capital influence the employability development of vocational college graduates in China. This study first reviews existing theoretical perspectives on employability and highlights that, compared with traditional human capital theory, capital theory provides a broader analytical framework by considering the influence of social resources, institutional recognition, and contextual factors. Based on this perspective, this study analyzes the mechanisms through which cultural capital and social capital contribute to employability development. Although vocational graduates generally possess practical skills and professional experience, differences in cultural capital acquisition and recognition may affect their ability to demonstrate professional advantages in employment contexts. Meanwhile, access to social capital resources, especially professional networks and industry connections, plays an important role in facilitating the transformation of individual competencies into employment opportunities. Building on the above analysis, this study proposes a workshop-based intervention program designed to help students accumulate bridging social capital, enhance their ability to recognize and articulate their cultural capital, and facilitate the effective conversion of both types of capital into stable and quality employment outcomes. This study demonstrates that improving the employability of higher vocational college graduates in China requires moving beyond a narrow focus on skills training alone. Achieving equitable employment outcomes necessitates enhancing the social recognition of vocational education, improving recognition of vocational education in recruitment and job-seeking, broadening graduates' access to industry resources and professional networks, and establishing an supportive environment that promotes broader recognition and effective conversion of various forms of capital into employment competitiveness and opportunities.