English Language Literacy: Juxtaposing Undergraduate Students‟ Competencies with Workplace Requirements

Abstract

Despite various measures executed by the Malaysian government, graduates unemployment remains a national issue given the escalating number of local graduates with low level of competence in English produced by Malaysian higher education institutions every year. In the provision of graduates for the challenging workforce, prospective employers‟ expectations of future recruits should be explored and taken into account to enhance the quality of teaching and training at these institutions. This paper presents a proportion of a larger study which aimed at (i) exploring undergraduate students‟ English language literacy practices and competencies and (ii) juxtaposing their competencies with prospective employers‟ expectations. Employing a qualitative case study approach, this paper draws on data gathered from in-depth interviews with the students and employers and supplemented by a small-scale survey. Key findings centre on issues of the students‟ technical difficulties in English and the discrepancy between their existing competencies and prerequisites set by the employers. The research findings contribute new dimensions and knowledge to understanding university students‟ predicaments at the intersection of English language competencies, tertiary education and the preparation for employment. These outcomes are predominantly beneficial for informing policy makers‟ agendas in producing competent graduates for future local and global workforce.