Developing social and emotional competence in higher vocational education: effects on employability and perceptions...

Social and emotional competence has become increasingly central in educational research due to its relevance for students' wellbeing, adaptability, and transitions from education to work. In higher vocational education, where programs are explicitly oriented toward labor market entry, the development of social and emotional competencies may play a critical role in shaping both employability-related outcomes and students' understanding of what constitutes decent and dignified work. However, little experimental research has examined how educational interventions targeting socioemotional competence influence vocational students' employability perceptions and expectations regarding decent work prior to labor market entry. The present study examined the effectiveness of a six-session experiential intervention designed to foster socioemotional capacities among students enrolled in Higher Vocational Education programs in China. Using a randomized controlled experimental design, participants were assigned to an intervention group or a waiting-list control group. Quantitative data were collected at three time points (pre-test, post-test, and 4-month follow-up) to assess employability and perceptions of Decent Work Standards. A manipulation check was administered to evaluate participants' engagement with the intervention. Results from mixed-design general linear models revealed significant Time × Group interaction effects for both employability and decent work perceptions. Students who participated in the intervention showed substantial improvements in both outcomes compared to the control group, and these gains were largely maintained at follow-up, with moderate-to-large effect sizes (η² ranging from 0.09 to 0.19). These findings indicate that educational interventions targeting social and emotional competence can contribute to improving vocational students' preparedness for the labor market and their expectations regarding fair and meaningful work. Overall, this study contributes to the emerging literature on socioemotional development in education by providing experimental evidence from a randomized design on how social and emotional competence interventions are associated with employability perceptions and expectations of decent work prior to labor market entry. By focusing on Higher Vocational Education students-a population rarely examined in intervention research-and by incorporating a longitudinal follow-up assessment, the study helps clarify how socioemotional competence development may support students' transition from education to work. The findings highlight the importance of integrating social and emotional learning perspectives into vocational curricula and offer implications for institutions seeking to support students' transitions into healthy, sustainable, and decent working lives.