In the context of China’s ongoing educational reform and the increasing diversity of employment options for college students, there is a growing emphasis on the practical skills of undergraduates. This study focuses on the development of these competencies, selecting a sample of 816 students from five universities to explore the requirements currently placed on Chinese college students. Utilizing factor analysis and ANOVA, we constructed a scale to assess the hands-on abilities of college students, as well as a scale for the influencing factors. The study was conducted using SPSS multiple linear regression to examine the correlations between the identified factors. The Hands-on Ability Scale consists of four primary indicators and 15 secondary indicators. Additionally, the analysis revealed that the influencing factors account for varying degrees of impact on key competencies: 23.4% on self-management ability, 13.3% on teamwork ability, 39.8% on innovation ability, and 25.5% on problem-solving ability. This study underscores the critical need for integrating practical skills training in the curriculum to better prepare students for the challenges of modern employment landscapes.