Action Path for Future-Oriented Vocational Education Metaverse Construction

The metaverse is regarded not only as another major technological leap following the mobile Internet but also as a key force driving transformations in future social structures. In recent years, China has intensively introduced metaverse-related policies at the national level. In 2023, the National Development and Reform Commission and other ministries issued the Implementation Plan for Empowering Industry–Education Integration in Vocational Education (2023–2025), which explicitly calls for the innovative development of platforms to support industry–education integration and the optimization of cooperation models, and has strengthened institutional mechanisms to promote deeper linkages between schools and enterprises. Similarly, the Ministry of Education highlighted in its 2022 Key Work Priorities the launch of the Education Digitalization Strategic Action, aimed at accelerating digital transformation and intelligent upgrading in education. Against this backdrop, vocational education, an essential pillar of the national talent development system, has much to gain from deep integration with the metaverse. Such integration not only aligns with the national goals of building a “Digital China” and fostering “new quality productive forces” but also provides transformative support for cultivating highly skilled technical talent. Consequently, it is necessary to strategically plan the positioning and developmental pathways of the vocational education metaverse through multidimensional efforts encompassing policy guidance, practical applications, theoretical research, and talent cultivation.