Student engagement serves as a key indicator for evaluating teaching quality and the effectiveness of talent cultivation in higher vocational education. Amid the rapid advancement of vocational education in China, challenges such as insufficient motivation, limited self-directed learning abilities, low self-efficacy, and passive classroom participation are common among higher vocational students, posing significant obstacles to their growth and development. This study focuses on the School of Economics and Management at Beijing Polytechnic. Through semi-structured interviews with teachers and students, qualitative coding analysis using NVivo, and SWOT analysis, this study systematically investigates the current status and influencing factors of student engagement in higher vocational education. Based on the results of the SWOT analysis, the study proposes targeted optimization strategies to enhance student engagement levels.