Local development and differentiated governance of skill formation: a comparative study of vocational education in three Chinese counties

This article examines how uneven local developmental conditions shape differentiated configurations of vocational education and training (VET) governance. Existing research on skill formation has highlighted national institutions, employer coordination and education–employment linkages, but often overlooks variation within countries. Drawing on comparative case studies of Longkou, Zhucheng and Pingyi in Shandong Province, China, this article analyses how local actors organise skill formation under different developmental challenges. It conceptualises governance as a relational configuration involving authority, resources, coordination and educational provision. The findings identify three locally embedded configurations: integrated governance, platform-mediated governance and service-network governance. These configurations differ in how governments, schools and employers coordinate resources and connect educational opportunities with labour markets. The article contributes to VET research by showing how subnational contexts shape skill formation beyond one-size-fits-all models and by highlighting the importance of local capacity, institutional history and labour mobility.