China’s digital transformation is in need of training systems and vocational teachers playing a pivotal role in integrating digital technologies into their instructional practices. This research investigates the key factors influencing technology integration among vocational teachers in mainland China, aiming to explore how personal, institutional, and contextual variables shape their digital engagement. A mixed-methods approach was conducted, involving a survey administered to 548 vocational teachers nationwide and interviews. The survey captured data on core constructs: attitudes toward digital teaching (ATDT), self-efficacy (SF), digital competence (DC), technology integration (TI), and utilization of digital tools (UDT). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to examine the structural connections among these variables. Statistical analyses included the measurement model, discriminant validity, fitness model, and the structural model. The research found that DC (β = 0.22) had the highest impact on TI, whereas DC → UDT → TI (β = 0.17) was the most significant mediating approach. The model provided an acceptable fit (SRMR = 0.055, NFI = 0.91). Overall, the successful navigation of digital change in China’s vocational education sector relies on both individual teacher preparedness and institutional support systems.

Keywords: Digital Transformation, Vocational Education, Vocational Teachers, self-efficacy (SF), Professional Development, China.