Connecting motivation, initiative, and vocational competence in higher vocational education: evaluating a career-focused project-based learning framework

Project-based learning (PBL) has gained increasing prominence in higher vocational education, yet the mechanisms through which it influences students’ learning initiative and vocational skill development remain underexplored. Drawing on higher education research on employability development and motivational processes in student learning, this study proposes and empirically evaluates a Career-Focused Project-Based Learning (CF-PBL) model that embeds authentic career scenarios into curriculum design. Two key research questions are examined: the role of career-focused design in PBL and its impact on students’ learning initiative and skills transformation. This study employs a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative questionnaires measuring learning motivation and learning initiative among 53 students, curriculum-based theoretical tests and practical performance assessments of vocational skills, and qualitative interviews with six teachers to examine the effects of CF-PBL on student learning outcomes. The findings show that CF-PBL significantly enhances student motivation, which in turn mediates improvements in both learning initiative and vocational skills. The study demonstrates how the CF-PBL model influences learning initiative and vocational skill acquisition through learning motivation. It also provides an evidence-based evaluation of this teaching design and offers valuable insights for higher vocational institutions seeking to strengthen curriculum–industry integration and promote employability-oriented teaching practices.