Abstract
In the 21st century globalization accelerates the need for English communication skills as English is recognized as a lingua franca in the business world. A high priority of university educators involved in LSP (LSP – language for special purposes) training is to equip graduates with communicative LSP skills meeting the standards of huge and increasingly competitive job market. The study addresses the issue on how to close the current gap between prospective employers’ expectations of English communication skills level and the existing LSP level of graduates. The study aims at, first, to reveal the effect of English globalization on employability from the perspective of university students; second, to identify factors leading to reticence in speaking; and third, to provide a solution to the problem of gap between graduates’ oral skills and employers’ expectations. The study uses two questionnaires as an instrument to collect data. The obtained quantitative data is used as an input for qualitative study. The study certifies that undergraduates are fully aware of the utmost importance of English language for employment. Also, the study identifies the main social and psycholinguistic reasons hindering to develop speaking skills in the university settings. Further, the research findings have been used to develop and integrate into university training curricula an intensive 3-module program meeting the real needs of students and business community. The goal of this program is to equip students with excellent English communication skills meeting the rapidly changing job market demands. The findings of the study suggest that LSP training offered at higher school should be improved to meet job market requirements. The study enabled to assess the instruction results and provide a solution to the problem of “competency gap”. It points to where the real work of closing the gap between the need for workforce skilled in English communication and actual graduates’ skill level needs to happen.
Highlights
The youth transition from education to the occupation is influenced by new factors such as economic structural changes and political environment (Chigisheva, 2011)
The findings of the present study provide baseline information on the recent level of speaking abilities of non-linguistic majors who are planning to secure a substantial gainful employment in the near future
The literature that is considered to be of particular relevance for this study provides with certain tools, concepts and definitions that have been developed and used within the research on the need of English communication skills for employability as well as on reticence in oral communication in LSP classroom settings
Summary
The youth transition from education to the occupation is influenced by new factors such as economic structural changes and political environment (Chigisheva, 2011). In a global economy of exchange and trade, employees must effectively use English in formal and informal discussions, presentations and documents, in communication with foreign colleagues and customers. Effective communicators increase overall performance of the company. Despite this global trend, there is a large gap between the need for workforce skilled in English and actual skill level of graduates upon completion of their university studies. There is a large gap between the need for workforce skilled in English and actual skill level of graduates upon completion of their university studies This gap increasingly becomes an obstacle in finding a job as employers have certain standards of what employees should possess by way of language skills. To better bridge the gap, an effective and efficient market-oriented training that will help in shaping undergraduate into a work-ready professional should be provided (Prichinin, 2012)
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