Research on Pathways to Enhance Employment Quality for Graduates from Applied Universities under the “Skill Matching” Perspective

Abstract

Amid rapid technological change and evolving industrial structures, graduates from applied universities in China face growing employment challenges, marked by structural mismatches, low starting salaries, and limited career development. Drawing on existing research and recent labor market data, this study analyzes how skills mismatches—particularly gaps between university training and industry demands—serve as the core mechanism undermining employment quality. The findings indicate that insufficient practical training, weak university-enterprise collaboration, and inadequate evaluation and support systems exacerbate misalignment between graduate competencies and job requirements. To address these issues, the study proposes a skills-matching-oriented optimization framework, including curriculum reform integrating practical and cross-disciplinary training, strengthened collaborative talent cultivation with enterprises, enhanced employment guidance and dynamic skills tracking, and multi-stakeholder incentives supported by policy measures. These strategies collectively aim to improve job-skill alignment, elevate initial job performance, and support sustainable career development. The study offers theoretical insights and actionable guidance for universities and policymakers seeking to improve graduate employment quality.