Digital Literacy Competency and Graduate Employability: Evidence from Vocational Colleges in Qingdao

In an era marked by rapid global digital transformation, digital literacy has evolved from an optional skill to a core competency that directly determines graduate employability. This study investigates the relationship between digital literacy competency and employment outcomes among students in vocational colleges in Qingdao. Against the background of China’s rapidly expanding digital economy, the service sector increasingly demands talents equipped with integrated professional and digital capabilities. Adopting a mixed-methods research design, this study combines questionnaire surveys, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis to explore the current status of digital literacy development, identify skill gaps between education provision and industrial demand, and examine how digital capabilities influence graduate employability. The findings reveal that although vocational students generally demonstrate basic digital operational skills, they lack advanced professional digital application, data analysis, and cross-platform collaborative abilities. A clear perception gap exists whereby students consistently rate their digital abilities higher than employers do. Curricula remain outdated, practical training is insufficient, teacher industrial exposure is limited, and industry-education collaboration remains superficial. This study enriches empirical understanding of digital literacy development within vocational education and provides evidence-based suggestions for educators, enterprises, and policymakers to strengthen digital skill training and enhance graduate employability in the digital era.