MULTI-LEVEL ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT OF RAILWAY VOCATIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE MOTIVE POWER INSTITUTE

Yu Qin; Chakrit Ponathong; Pawatwong Bamroongkhan

doi:10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i1.2026.7653

Authors

Yu Qin Faculty of Education, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand
Chakrit Ponathong Faculty of Education, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand
Pawatwong Bamroongkhan Faculty of Education, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i1.2026.7653

Keywords:

Railway Vocational Education, Employment Quality, Collaborative Governance, Social Capital, Career Development

Abstract [English]

This study aims to identify the multidimensional factors affecting employment quality of railway vocational education graduates in China. Using a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 220 graduates from the School of Power Technology at Liuzhou Railway Vocational Technical College and conducted in-depth interviews with 15 faculty members. The research integrates collaborative governance theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and social capital theory to analyze influencing factors at government, social, school, and individual levels. Results indicate that school-level factors (particularly employment guidance services, β=0.275, p<0.001) and individual-level factors (especially internship experiences, β=0.296, p<0.001) demonstrate the strongest predictive power for employment quality, with the four-level model explaining 46.7% of employment quality variance. Graduates show good performance in professional alignment (M=3.71) and formal employment arrangements (M=4.28), but face challenges in work-life balance (M=2.54-2.59) and career advancement opportunities (M=2.89). The study provides empirical evidence for enhancing railway vocational education employment support systems through multi-stakeholder collaboration. Key implications include prioritizing institutional career guidance services and structured internship programs while addressing work-life balance concerns in the railway industry.

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