A Study on Core Professional Competencies of Higher Vocational Civil Architecture Students

Background and Aim: The rapid digital transformation of the construction industry has placed new demands on higher vocational education to develop civil architecture students equipped with both technical expertise and core professional competencies. However, existing curricula often fall short in areas such as digital literacy, communication, and problem-solving, leading to a mismatch between graduate capabilities and industry needs. This study aims to construct a tailored competency framework, evaluate the current development status among students, identify key influencing factors, and offer practical recommendations to support educational reform and workforce alignment. Materials and Methods: A quantitative research design was employed to develop and validate a five-dimensional framework of core professional competencies, including ethics, communication, problem-solving, digital skills, and self-development. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 472 civil architecture students across three vocational colleges. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS for descriptive statistics, group comparison, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling to explore the relationships between educational processes, practical experiences, personal backgrounds, and competency formation. Results: Findings indicate that students perform strongest in professional ethics and responsibility awareness, while information technology literacy remains relatively weak. Significant differences in competency levels were observed based on gender, grade, and internship experience, with practical experience notably enhancing digital skills and problem-solving abilities. Structural equation modeling confirmed the significant and interactive effects of educational processes, practical experience, and individual background on core competencies. Conclusion: The study verifies the multidimensional structure of core professional competencies in higher vocational civil architecture students and reveals the complex influence of educational and experiential factors. These insights enrich the application of competency theory in vocational education and provide a scientific foundation for optimizing talent development aligned with industry needs.