A comparative analysis of the modernization of vocational education in China and Ukraine is of particular interest. First, in China, before the “cultural revolution”, vocational education was organized according to the Soviet version and was oriented toward meeting the staffing needs of the state economy. Today, the Chinese government, based on the principle of “raising the country at the expense of science and education” and the strategy of continuous development, attaches priority to modernizing education and raising the cultural level of citizens. Recognizing education as strategically important for the country’s socio-economic development, the Chinese government has developed a course in education: “In the development of education, facing modernization, the outside world, and the future.” Secondly, in both countries, integration processes are actively developing in the education system, aimed at the formation of a single educational space for a professional school, production and science, and the elimination of the shortage of skilled workers and mid-level specialists. Thirdly, in Ukraine and China, the modernization of vocational education systems has set common strategic goals, due to the requirements of the labour market to improve the quality of training of the necessary qualifications, decentralization of management of the vocational education system and restructuring of vocational education institutions on the principle of optimization. Thus, the field of common interests in the study of vocational education in both countries can be identified. A major role in the current socio-economic situation was played by the popular tendency for compulsory higher education, as a means of increasing social status in society. And often this decision is made under pressure from established stereotypes and the older generation. At the moment, vocational education does not really fully satisfy and correspond to the needs of society and cannot solve the problems of training workers who are faced with new requirements for the level of qualification and skills. Therefore, we observe a shortage of middle-level workers and specialists in technical, service and management work—the so-called blue and gray collar workers, who currently have the greatest difficulties in adapting to market relations and have the lowest income level. Therefore, in the current situation, it becomes an obvious and relevant decision to analyze the socio-structural factors and the mechanisms of their adaptation in the modern socio-economic environment, the formation of their professional structure. Also, consider and analyze the process of formation in the educational system of new trends which are expected from this sphere of education in modern economic conditions.