The rapid development of the economy in Xinjiang has brought about an increased emphasis on the coordination between the major layout and the industrial structure of Xinjiang higher vocational colleges. This study investigates the correlation between the major layouts of these institutions and the regional industrial structure through the use of an integrated grey system framework. The employment of grey correlation modeling (ρ=0.5) and a particle swarm-optimized fractional grey prediction model (FGM(1,1) with r=0.75) has led to the following three key findings: Firstly, the overall major layout of higher vocational colleges in Xinjiang is largely consistent with the current industrial structure demand. Secondly, it will be necessary to strengthen the construction of majors related to emerging industries and modern service industries to adapt to changes in the industrial structure. Thirdly, the findings prove that the fractional-order grey prediction model is an advanced scientific approach to adapt the major layout to regional industries, which provides a better tool in serving local economic and social development. These findings validate the efficacy of fractional grey models in the realm of vocational education planning, offering a replicable framework for the management of industrial transition in developing regions.