Needs Analysis on a Work-Process-Based Cabin Service English Course for Chinese Vocational College Students

This study investigates the specific language needs of vocational college students enrolled in a Civil Aviation English course within the cabin service program at a vocational institution in Chongqing, China. The program is designed to cultivate highly skilled service professionals through a blend of theoretical knowledge, cultural understanding, and practical training. To ensure that the English course effectively prepares students for real-world cabin service tasks, a comprehensive needs analysis was conducted using a questionnaire adapted from established frameworks. Stratified random sampling was used to gather responses from 85 students across different academic years. The findings reveal that speaking is the most essential yet challenging skill for cabin crew duties, especially in high-pressure communication scenarios. Students showed a strong preference for interactive, task-based learning methods such as role-playing and real-life simulations, while also expressing difficulties with aviation-specific vocabulary. These insights highlight a gap between current instructional practices and the demands of the aviation industry. The study recommends adopting a work-process-based curriculum design aligned with authentic workplace contexts and customized to specific aviation roles, enhancing both course relevance and students’ career readiness.