English as a Key Employability Capacity: Perspectives from Vietnamese Students and Lecturers

Abstract

Building on a research trend that unravels the relationship between English language and employability (e.g., Erling, 2014; Hamid, 2015), this study explored 617 Vietnamese students and six lecturers’ perspectives regarding university students’ English as an employability skill. A mixed method was employed to collect both survey and interview data in three major universities in North Vietnam. The data investigated students’ levels of confidence, in relation to both their English competency and career skills performed in English. The results indicated students’ high level of uncertainty in both their English and career skills performed in English, which corresponded to their insufficient English for employability purposes. Specifically, over 80% of the students indicated their uncertainty about seeking employment that required English. The study provides recommendations for improving pedagogies, policies and practices to promote English as an employable skill for the multifaceted demands of the global job market.