Abstract: As society evolves, new business models and employment opportunities continually emerge. In this context, higher vocational education is increasingly prioritizing not only skills training but also the core vocational qualities of its students. To cultivate high-quality skilled professionals, it is essential to reform the teaching of vocational development and employment guidance courses within higher vocational education. This paper analyzes the current challenges in these courses, highlights the importance of developing core vocational competencies, and proposes specific measures for curriculum enhancement. These measures include defining clear curriculum objectives, integrating diverse resources from both within and outside the institution, creating a comprehensive teaching evaluation system that incorporates “posts, competitions, and courses” , and optimizing teaching methodologies. The ultimate goal is to enhance the effectiveness of cultivating core vocational competencies among students.

Key words: Core competencies, Vocational development, Higher vocational education, Teaching reform, High-quality, Employment guidance