Evaluating the Chemical Industries Technology Curriculum at the Technical and Vocational University in Fars Province: Alignment with Industry Needs and Student Weaknesses

Graduation from top universities does not guarantee labor market absorption due to the persistent gap between curricula and industrial needs, a problem critical in chemical engineering. This study evaluates the alignment of the Chemical Industries Technology (CIT) curriculum at Technical and Vocational University (TVU) with industrial needs in Fars province, identifies the most important courses, and analyzes student weaknesses. A descriptive survey with 60 industry experts, 100 TVU students, and 10 instructors was conducted. A 5-point Likert scale covering 15 CIT courses was administered. Reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's α = 0.87 and validity by KMO = 0.82 (Bartlett's p < 0.001). Top-ranked courses were Principles of Chemical Industries (M = 280, SD = 14.8) and Process Control (M = 262, SD = 18.2); lowest were Inorganic Chemistry (M = 202, SD = 22.3) and Reactor Design (M = 186, SD = 23.5). The Friedman test showed significant ranking differences (χ²(14) = 91.47, p < 0.001). Logistic regression identified deficiencies in math/physics prerequisites (OR = 3.45, p = 0.001) and perceived course difficulty (OR = 2.66, p = 0.005) as primary causes of student weakness in Process Control, not teaching quality (Nagelkerke R² = 0.43). ROC analysis confirmed good model performance (AUC = 0.82). Instructor responses indicated 67% attributed weakness to prerequisite deficiencies, and 80% reported limited industry visits. Eight recommendations are proposed, including curriculum revision, diagnostic testing for math/physics, AI-based early warning systems, mandatory industry visits, and skill-oriented textbooks.