Does fit matter? The impact of person-environment fit and internship quality on professional competence of TVET students: evidence from a large-scale competence assessment in China

Abstract

Purpose: Firstly, this study diagnosed professional competence amongst Chinese vocational students within a broad range of the manufacturing sectors; then, the authors examined how different types of P-E fit (job, organisation and vocation) and internship quality jointly shape the newly acquired professional competences of interns. Design/methodology/approach: This study utilised the COMET methodology to conduct a large-scale assessment of professional competence amongst 961 graduates from vocational colleges who had successfully completed internships. Participants actively engaged in the data collection process by responding to questionnaires that sought contextual information concurrently. Findings: The majority of students have attained fundamental functional competencies, indicating their fulfillment of basic requirements. However, there is a tendency to overlook the cultivation of shaping competence. Three types of P-E fit and task characteristics are positively correlated with professional competence. The indirect relationship between P-E fit and professional competence mediated by task characteristics was verified through P-V fit and P-J fit except for P-O fit. Overall, the model explains 39.2% of the variance in professional competence. Originality/value: “How to promote professional competence” has been highlighted as an important topic in vocational education. This paper contributes to identify the characteristics of a quality internship program for vocational colleges and firms. These insights are important in considering a student-centred approach, design internships programmes that better fit their own abilities, needs and vocations, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to implement internships and thus, enhance students' professional development. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Keywords

Author Keywords

TVET Internships Professional competence COMET Internship quality P-E fit

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

China Fire and Rescue Institute, Beijing, Beijing, China

Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Funding & Acknowledgements

Beijing Normal University, BNU

Funding text 1: The authors acknowledge the support by BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training and Learning.; Funding text 2: Funding: This study is funded by BNU (Beijing Normal University) Top-tier Discipline in Education “Theoretical Innovation and Institutional System Research on Advancing the Modernization of Vocational Education in China” and is also a part achievement of the key project of studies in German-speaking countries and regions in Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (2022DEGB001). The authors acknowledge the support of BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training & Learning.; Funding text 3: The authors acknowledge the support by BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training and Learning. Since submission of this article, the following author(s) have updated their affiliation(s): Yuting Cui is now affiliated with the Beijing Institute of Education, Beijing, China.

Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, ZUST

Grant: 2022DEGB001

Funding text 1: The authors acknowledge the support by BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training and Learning.; Funding text 2: Funding: This study is funded by BNU (Beijing Normal University) Top-tier Discipline in Education “Theoretical Innovation and Institutional System Research on Advancing the Modernization of Vocational Education in China” and is also a part achievement of the key project of studies in German-speaking countries and regions in Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (2022DEGB001). The authors acknowledge the support of BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training & Learning.; Funding text 3: The authors acknowledge the support by BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training and Learning. Since submission of this article, the following author(s) have updated their affiliation(s): Yuting Cui is now affiliated with the Beijing Institute of Education, Beijing, China.

Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, ZUST

Funding text 1: The authors acknowledge the support by BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training and Learning.; Funding text 2: Funding: This study is funded by BNU (Beijing Normal University) Top-tier Discipline in Education “Theoretical Innovation and Institutional System Research on Advancing the Modernization of Vocational Education in China” and is also a part achievement of the key project of studies in German-speaking countries and regions in Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (2022DEGB001). The authors acknowledge the support of BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training & Learning.; Funding text 3: The authors acknowledge the support by BIE (Beijing Insititue of Education) Disciplinary Innovation Project on Teaching Training and Learning. Since submission of this article, the following author(s) have updated their affiliation(s): Yuting Cui is now affiliated with the Beijing Institute of Education, Beijing, China.

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Does fit matter? The impact of person-environment fit and internship quality on professional competence of TVET students: evidence from a large-scale competence assessment in China

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