Employers’ Perspectives of English-Major Students’ Weaknesses During Their Industrial Practicum

Abstract

In the 21st century, graduates are expected to have many employability skills to become successful employees in real-world settings. Before graduating, the industrial practicum is an excellent chance for employers to measure university students’ readiness for real jobs through their performances. Even though some studies have been conducted in this field, the topic is little studied from employers’ perceptions. This current study focused on employers’ reports on what English-major students lacked during their industrial practicum in the Vietnamese context. The study was conducted as qualitative research using three focus-group interviews, and each included five employers in the fields of education, business, interpretation and translation, and tour and travel. The results revealed that the students lacked several skills to become successful employees: communication skills, information retrieval and handling skills, planning and problem-solving skills, teamwork skills, self-confidence, critical thinking skills, devotion, and specialized skills/ identities. Based on the findings, this current study suggested several practical implications to help improve the students’ employability skills. During their time at university, English-major students need more practical experiences to understand their strengths and weaknesses and develop themselves. Teaching is expected to make a positive correlation with practical experiences in real-world settings. The findings of this study significantly contributed to enriching the field of vocational education.