Marketing Graduates’ Perceptions About the Importance of Business English Knowledge for Their Future Careers

Technologically-enhanced learning solutions now have become the norm in language learning practices and are used as powerful supplement to traditional classroom experience. In a multitude of e-solutions ESP educators are always in a search of adaptable tools to meet specific demands of their target audiences. Due to its omnipresence and widespread relevance across diverse disciplines and professions. Business English has become an essential demand of different target groups. Among the available tools for ESP learners, digital portfolios have become a useful component of course work supporting multiple literacies and foreign language skills. Owing to their customizability ESP educators can harness their potential in numerous ways. While highlighting the potential educational use of digital portfolios the paper draws on marketing students’ views regarding the importance of Business English education collected as part of a reflective writing assignment. The purpose of the qualitative analysis was to provide an insight into students’ analytical perspective of the importance of Business English knowledge for their prospective business careers and businesses in general. Findings from the study indicate that all students perceive the key role of competence in Business English as a new job requirement and a clear pathway to career success. The challenges identified are students’ frustrations and resistance to speaking the language, as well as their concerns about the lack of English knowledge as an impediment to their future career advancements.