Abstract:

From the perspective of economic history, the deep integration of industry and education, driven by active participation from enterprises, has optimized vocational education outcomes, improved the quality of skilled talent, and promoted industrial development. In the current context of intensified international competition and accelerated industrial and technological transformation, the methods and degree of integration between industry and education struggle to meet the strategic demands of national industrial policies.Theoretically, the deep integration of industry and education in vocational education can balance talent supply and demand, enhance enterprise utility, and increase social welfare. However, in practice, the various stakeholders involved—government, educational institutions, industries, and enterprises—often have conflicting interests, making it difficult to achieve synergy. The underlying issue lies in the lack of a clear accountability mechanism. The positive externalities of vocational education as a public good result in inefficient resource allocation, while market failures hinder effective regulation.To address these challenges, policies should focus on clarifying stakeholder interests and employing scientific accounting methods to allocate the educational costs that talent users should bear. Establishing new contracts and fostering new social expectations can facilitate cost-sharing mechanisms to correct market failures, thereby preventing the cyclical issues of localized talent shortages and surpluses.

Key words: vocational education, integration of industry and education, economics, talent supply and demand