1 Introduction

The Implementation Plan for National Vocational Education Reform in 2019 emphasized the importance of "standards", while the "1+X Pilot Plan" of the same year required comprehensive evaluation of learners' vocational skills based on vocational skill level standards. In this context, Beijing Waiyan Online Digital Technology Co., Ltd. has launched the "Practical English Communication Vocational Skill Level Standards" project, aiming to develop vocational English skill standards through industry education integration and school enterprise cooperation, and deepen the reform of vocational English teaching and talent cultivation. In 2022, the development and validation of "Professional Standards" became a sub project of the "Double First Class" major landmark project of Beijing Foreign Studies University. This article will introduce the background, process, and characteristics of the development of the Vocational Standards, providing reference for establishing a vocational English assessment system.

2 Development Background

The necessity of developing "Vocational Standards" was discussed, emphasizing that it meets the needs of vocational education and vocational English teaching reform in the new era, aiming to cultivate students' communication skills in workplace English and achieve precise alignment between talent cultivation and enterprise needs. The development of the 'Professional Standards' helps to address issues such as unclear descriptions of vocational English proficiency, disconnect between talent development and workplace needs, unclear teaching objectives, and an inadequate assessment system. Through the cooperation between schools and enterprises, the development of "Vocational Standards" can provide standard references for vocational English teaching and examination development, promote the integration of education and the workplace, and provide talent guarantee for national development. At the same time, the chapter also outlines the development of language proficiency scales both domestically and internationally, pointing out the differences between the General English Scale and the Specialized English Scale, as well as the limitations of existing scales in describing workplace English proficiency.

3 Development and Verification Process

The process of developing and verifying the "Practical English Communication Vocational Skills Level Standards" was elaborated in detail. In the preliminary research stage, the development team was composed of experts from education and industry enterprises, who conducted in-depth analysis of national policies and industry reports, and extensively collected data from universities and enterprises to clarify the development principles, including scientificity, standardization, universality, and adaptability. In the standard development process, vocational English skills were defined and a competency framework was constructed, which is based on the COMET model and covers three dimensions: competency requirements, content requirements, and language requirements, and is refined into first level, second level, and third level indicators. The development team is facing the challenge of how to reflect the actual needs of the workplace and avoid overlapping indicators, which can be solved through industry surveys, expert consultations, and statistical analysis. The construction of the descriptive language pool combines literature review and sampling methods to collect and screen 229 descriptive language. After the initial standard construction, the descriptive language is reviewed and revised, skill attributes are annotated, and classified and graded through a workshop format. The standard verification is divided into two stages. The first stage verifies the rationality of the classification and grading of descriptive language. The second stage collects data through questionnaires to verify the structural validity and grading accuracy. Finally, after review and discussion by industry experts, the "Professional Standards" consisting of 167 descriptive phrases were determined, covering beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, meeting the requirements of the "Guidelines".

4 Characteristics of Standard Development

The three major characteristics of the development of the "Practical English Communication Vocational Skills Level Standards" were emphasized: firstly, the standard development is based on the real workplace, implements the concept of industry education integration, is led by enterprises and developed through school enterprise cooperation, attaches importance to the participation of industry experts, and ensures that the standards originate from industry enterprises and can be verified by actual work. Secondly, implementing scientific methods and exploring the development path of localized ESP scales, combining top-down and bottom-up approaches, relying on the participation of industry experts and professionals in the workplace for development and demonstration. Finally, to ensure accurate expression and enhance the applicability of the standards in vocational English teaching, concise descriptive language and multiple rounds of workshops are used to solicit opinions from teaching experts, so that the standards can be recognized by frontline vocational education teachers and provide objective and operable standard references for curriculum teaching, student evaluation, and ability exams.

5 Conclusion

The development and validation background, process, and characteristics of the "Professional Standards" have been elaborated in detail, confirming its scientific and effective nature. This standard emerged in the context of China's increasing international influence and frequent international exchanges, providing a basis for VETS exams and industry guidance for vocational English teaching. It responds to the requirements of vocational English education reform, promotes communication and mutual recognition of learning outcomes, and is of great significance for cultivating international technical and skilled talents. The Vocational Standards have significant value for ESP teaching and assessment, breaking through the traditional language testing framework and forming a descriptive language system based on work task scenarios, which more accurately reflects the application environment of vocational English skills. The development team ensures the accuracy of descriptive language through a mixed research approach, combining language proficiency in occupational scenarios with actual job skills, making standards an application-oriented assessment tool. The Vocational Standards not only meet the needs of localized vocational education in terms of ability grading and task description, but also have the potential to align with international standards. In the future, it will be continuously validated and optimized in practical applications to meet the dynamic demand of the country and society for international vocational and technical talents.