To develop new quality productive forces, it is essential to cultivate a large number of applied talents proficient in modern means of production. This study empirically investigates the needs of major advanced manufacturing enterprises regarding students specializing in machinery manufacturing and automation from higher vocational colleges. The findings indicate that while vocational engineering programs generally meet enterprise needs in terms of basic professional abilities, gaps remain in knowledge acquisition, professional core competencies, developmental abilities, and personal qualities and attitudes. To align with the evolving organizational modes of production and foster new quality productive forces, engineering-focused higher vocational colleges should prioritize the cultivation of digital craftsmen. This involves optimizing training specifications, enhancing the knowledge base in technoscience under the guidance of New Engineering Initiative, using workplace projects to emphasize comprehensive vocational competency training, and leveraging digital transformation to reform learning and evaluation methods.