Recently, a front-page feature in the People's Daily addressed the topic "How to Enhance the Appeal of Vocational Education." An official from the Department of Vocational and Adult Education of the Ministry of Education stated clearly: "The goal is for vocational colleges to no longer be a 'last resort' choice, but to become a growth pathway where students can build skills, have avenues for further education, and secure employment."
In response to this contemporary challenge, CHINA EAST EDU (00667.HK), a leading vocational education institution, has presented a compelling model through nearly four decades of exploration and practice.
Synchronizing with Industry Trends Staying Ahead of Industry Demand with Program Offerings A key concern highlighted in the People's Daily article was: "Will the program offerings at vocational colleges lag behind?" The Ministry of Education official clarified: "The program directory is adjusted annually, with a strong emphasis on 'newness' in program development." Over the past five years, vocational education has added 143 new programs, half of which are in engineering and technology fields.
To address this, CHINA EAST EDU has established a three-tier research and development system centered around its research institute. The annual program iteration rate across its brands exceeds 30%. For instance, as the low-altitude economy emerged as a national strategic industry, the group promptly launched a UAV application technology program, creating a closed-loop training system encompassing "talent cultivation—technology R&D—industrial application." With the AI wave impacting various sectors, the group introduced six new AI-integrated programs, such as AI+ New Media & Short Video Operations and AI+ Film, Animation & Game Design, fully embedding generative AI tools into the curriculum. In the new energy vehicle sector, its automotive education brand added programs like Intelligent Connected Vehicles and New Energy Vehicle Technology, co-building training bases with BYD and supplying numerous technical professionals to the industry.
Concurrently, the group's educational level is continuously advancing. From upgrading one of its institutes to a technician college with provincial government approval, to investing in and acquiring another technician college, and establishing a new culinary technician college, the strategic setup of three technician colleges marks a significant leap from skill training to high-skilled talent cultivation. These colleges focus on new energy vehicles, CNC & electrical automation, and culinary arts, respectively, precisely aligning with local key industries.
Bridging the Gap Between Education and Industry Deep Collaboration Through School-Enterprise Partnerships "Can students learn the skills that enterprises genuinely need?" This was another major concern for parents noted in the People's Daily report. The Ministry of Education official pointed out that avoiding a disconnect in school-enterprise cooperation has long been a challenge for vocational education.
CHINA EAST EDU has been exploring solutions to this challenge for nearly forty years. Starting with early "order-based training" models around the turn of the century, it has progressively evolved to a deeply integrated Industry-Education Integration 3.0 model. This model forms a complete cycle of "targeted enrollment + enterprise-customized curriculum + internship + employment recommendation." The group's institutions have established in-depth partnerships with over 10,000 enterprises, co-building training bases and industrial colleges.
For example, within its culinary education brand, catering enterprises set up dedicated training classrooms on campus, where their head chefs teach standardized recipes. Students familiarize themselves with corporate culture in advance and directly assume chef roles in outlets upon graduation, achieving seamless training-to-employment transition. In its automotive education brand, the vehicle maintenance training workshops are fully benchmarked against real automotive factories, ensuring teaching scenarios closely match work environments. In January 2026, the group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Tmall Car Maintenance under Alibaba. The collaboration spans talent cultivation for the automotive aftermarket, joint curriculum development, instructor certification, internship/employment, and entrepreneurship support. Initiatives include co-building "Tmall Car Maintenance Demonstration Stores" and launching "Customized Tmall Classes," providing students with a systematic growth path from professional skills to store management.
These deeply industry-embedded practices vividly illustrate the concept that "industry-education integration should not remain superficial, like signing a few cooperation agreements, but should represent a symbiotic relationship."
Making Employment a Core Attraction A 95% Employment Rate Answer Sheet "Is it easy to find a job? Can one find a good job?" – This is the most fundamental and crucial concern for millions of families considering vocational education. The Ministry of Education official responded with data: the employment rate for vocational college graduates has remained stable at around 90% over the past five years, exceeding 95% at some high-quality institutions. At CHINA EAST EDU, the average recommended employment rate for graduates has consistently stayed above 95% for many years, a leading figure in the industry.
This impressive result is underpinned by the group's systematic employment service framework. It has established a three-tier service structure to promote employment and entrepreneurship: an Employment & Entrepreneurship Department at the group level, Employment & Entrepreneurship Service Centers in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and Employment & Entrepreneurship Guidance Centers in all its over 200 campuses. In the Anhui Vocational Education Industrial Park, the group deeply engages with the new energy vehicle industry chain, steadily supplying technical professionals to vehicle manufacturers and core component producers. In Sichuan, projects like "Skill Towns" and "Sichuan Cuisine Master" colleges provide targeted talent cultivation, forming a regional closed-loop of "teaching—internship—employment."
Notably, the group's core competitiveness is reflected not only in the high employment rate but also in multi-dimensional, high-quality employment outcomes that significantly lead the industry, including starting salaries, job-skill match rates, and employment stability.
With supportive policies gaining momentum, the future of vocational education is bright. By the end of 2025, the Ministry of Education added 57 new programs at once, covering cutting-edge fields like the low-altitude economy and AI. In 2026, the 48th WorldSkills Competition will be grandly held in Shanghai, with three teachers and students from CHINA EAST EDU selected for the Chinese team. The national "Double High Plan" continues to advance the construction of a modern vocational education system. From its beginnings 38 years ago to its current network of 230 campuses nationwide, and from a pioneer in skill training to a leader in high-skilled talent cultivation, CHINA EAST EDU is demonstrating through concrete actions that vocational education carries not a sense of "last resort" but a broad pathway enabling countless students to "build skills, have avenues for further education, and secure employment."
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