vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Students‘ interest in learning English...37 Figure 2: Demand for a good job in choosing a major in English ………...38 Figure 3: Effect of good income on choosi
Rationale
The Globalization has certainly effect on English becoming the lingua Franca of business In the international commercial sphere, English has become the lingua Franca of the business world, irrespective of geographical, social, political, or religious differences It is recognized as one of the six official languages of the United Nations Being a professionally trained in English makes a person more employable as English language skills open the doors to many more career options and connect one to more globally recognized companies "In a corporate environment, especially in international companies, employees who are good at English will be more confident.", "From there, they communicate better with their supervisors and colleagues, and they are able to represent that business and easily hold important positions in the company", "Most candidates who are good at foreign languages often find jobs with higher incomes than candidates who do not know foreign languages by 30%–50%", "In addition, compared with the group of candidates who do not know foreign languages, the opportunity for career development, promotion, and management level of candidates who know foreign languages is greater and takes less time." (Harvard Business Review, 2012) There are more than 50 English-speaking countries around the world, and around 375 million people communicate in English (Crystal, 2012) The options for employment in different parts of the world for those who can speak English are more extensive than with any other language For example, English speakers could find jobs in different countries in the world, for example Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States The demand for doing a good job of putting emphasis on the English language's development is of utmost importance As we are living in a competitive world; if workers only speak their mother tongue, they may lose the opportunity to work in multinational companies and reduce their ability to
2 compete directly with foreign workers As for the aforementioned reason, this study was conducted to examine the importance of English in employability for graduates, which in turn influences the need to learn English as well as the choice of English linguistic specialisation Due to the increasing demand for learning English and choosing an English linguistic major, schools and centers focus on investing in facilities and teachers, leading to tuition fees for foreign language centers or English linguistic majors at universities that are often more expensive than other majors Besides, the input quality of the English language major also becomes more competitive because the number of students who want to study to develop is very large; even those who are not good at learning foreign languages also want to study this major to be prepared for their opportunities in the future Because of the relatively high amount of competition, most of the top schools for foreign language training will be more difficult to pass Some of you with low university exam scores who are not so good at English will find other schools with lower entry scores to develop their major Therefore, Hong Duc University, a school with investments in facilities and relatively quality foreign language teachers with low tuition fees and not too high admission scores, will be a preferred choice for students who have the hope of developing, although their knowledge is not too good Since then, it has been emphasized that students choose to study English at Hong Duc University because many other motivations are not simply passions and interests.
Aims of the Study
This study aims to investigate the factors that influence students to choose English linguistics From the study findings, implications and recommendations are provided to provide students with guidance on university major selection In addition, the study also examines the importance of English in today's life and work
Methods of the study
To achieve the above goal, the study used a survey questionnaire and interview to collect data from students majoring in English at Hong Duc
University to assess the difficulties and benefits encountered when studying this major At the same time, finding out the motivation of students when majoring in foreign languages and the influence of job demands on their decision to choose to learn English.
Scope of the study
This study focuses on investigating the influence of job demand on students' decisions to enroll in the English linguistic program at Hong Duc University The researcher limited the participants to being English majors in the 2022-2023 course at Hong Duc University.
Design of the Study
This graduation paper consists of three mains parts:
Part I - Introduction: First, the rationale is presented, followed by sections outlining the aims and the scopes of the study Finally, methods and design of the study are described
Part II – Development: this part consists of three chapters as following:
Chapter 1: Literature review – provide a brief overview of theoretical and practical background of the study
Chapter 2: Research methodology - describe the context of study, methodology, data collection instruments, and data collection and analysis
Chapter 3: Findings, discussions This chapter presents the main results of the study and discusses the meaning of the results
Part III – Conclusion: this part presents an overall evaluation of the study as well as implications and recommendations
Literture review
Employability
According to the Cambridge dictionary, employability is the skills and abilities that allow a person to be employed In the language of recruiters, there is a criterion called employability – roughly translated as ability to be employed This is an important concept that students have to think about during their time at university Regardless of what one wants to do after graduation, it is important to consider whether one‘s knowledge, experience and soft skills will meet the needs of employers Today, employers believe that a degree is not a sufficient condition, and they are looking for candidates who can demonstrate skills and show that they are ―ready to work‖ (Cambridge dictionary)
According to information provided on the website an Australian government website created to help young people aged 15-25 in their job search and in building up their employability ( Job jump start, 2020) Employability skills are a set of skills and behaviors that are necessary for every job These are the essential skills, personal qualities and values that enable a person to thrive in any workplace These include:
A Newzealand website created to help young New Zealand people enhance their career outcomes, employability skills are the skills, qualities and attitudes that employers say are essential for their workplace The skills are:
- Thinking skills (problem solving and decision making)
The Indeed Editorial Team suggest that the following set of skills are essential to help graduates increase their chances of getting hired:
- Effective communication - Capable of focusing on writing, talks, and presentations while expressing ideas clearly
- Teamwork - The capacity to play a variety of roles in a group and get along with others to accomplish objectives
- Commercial awareness: Expertise in a particular business or industry How do they operate? Why do they exist? What problems do they encounter?
- Problem-Solving - Recognize potential issues, evaluate risks, and use logical and imaginative thinking to come up with solutions
- Leadership - The capacity to encourage, inspire, and help others realize their potential Organize activities, distribute tasks, and establish due dates
- The process of designing, observing, and controlling a specific project is known as project management
- Time management - The capacity to schedule your own activities and set priorities so that you may complete tasks more quickly and effectively
- Initiative - Proactive and zealous, spotting opportunities, appreciating best practices, and coming up with fresh concepts
- Adaptability - Ability to work in various settings and teams on a variety of activities and projects
- Innovation and entrepreneurship - The capacity to spot market opportunities and gaps as well as develop fresh, creative solutions to issues
- Computer literacy - The capacity to absorb, pick up on, and adjust to new technologies This includes being familiar with the fundamental features of the Microsoft Office package
In short, employability skills are sometimes called soft skills, foundational skills, work-readiness skills, or job-readiness skills, the skills that employers look for when interviewing a candidate for a position at their organization Ultimately, employability skills are general skills employers look for during recruitment, succession planning and other stages of talent development With the growing global workforce, English skills have become a critical employability skill and yet many companies still struggle to define what English proficiency means to them See how strategically investing in employability skills, like English, can improve employee productivity and result in thousands of savings
For young people from non-English speaking countries, English language skills are added to the above lists as essential skills for employability The following section will discuss the relationship between English language skills and employability
1.1.3 English competence and the employability
Almost every job today demands good English communication skills With fluent English communication skills, 80% of work is done, no matter if you are looking to expand your own business or want to crack an interview (Burlington English, 2023) English helps you in understanding common business communications easily Maximum of business contracts, deals, and even product descriptions are written in the English language So, to stay updated
7 and understand the language of business throughout the world, it is important for you to learn English When you want to send transport or your logistics all around the world, it becomes important for you to communicate in a universal language Learning and understanding English will help you in talking to people in any country in the world
Employers are constantly in need of employees with strong communication skills covering a wide range of verbal and written communication As there is multi-cultural and multi-linguistic work force in the companies, employees should be interactive and communicative with others in the teamwork, for which English is the common language connecting people English is used for official communication in meetings, presentations, training programmes, conferences, letters, documents and reports etc For this purpose employees are expected to read, write, speak and understand English The lack of English language skills has been considered a barrier to entry of employment and workforce accomplishment Therefore, English communication skills are an important pre-requisite for a career at national or international level In other words, English proficiency is a key factor for employment success and advancement
Cambridge English and Quacquarelli Symonds(QS) present a global, cross-industry overview of English language skills at work, entitled: ―English at Work: Global Analysis of Language Skills in the Workplace‖ (Cambridge English,2016) The English at Work findings are based on data from over 5,300 employers in 38 countries and territories that completed the annual QS Global Employer Survey According to this study, below are the results from four countries with a relatively high demand for English in career development (Cambridge English, 2016)
Germany 78%- Global 78%-Global 78%-Global 78%-Global
Germany 74%-Global 74%-Global 74%- Global 74%- Global
Germany 64%- Global 64%- Global 64%- Global 64%- Global
Germany 70%- Global 70%- Global 70%- Global 70%- Global
Germany 60%- Global 60%- Global 60%- Global 60%- Global
Germany 65%- Global 65%- Global 65%- Global 65%- Global
Germany 68%- Global 68%- Global 68%- Global 68%- Global
Germany 62%- Global 62%- Global 62%- Global 62%- Global
In short, learning English will give a boost to career development It will help you in landing your dream job or starting your own business
Education is the process where an individual acquires or imparts basic knowledge to another It is also where a person:
develops skills essential to daily living,
develops judgment and reasoning, and
learns how to discern right from wrong
There are various types of education but typically, traditional schooling dictates the way one‘s education success is measured Besides, people who attended school and attained a higher level of education are considered more employable and likely to earn more (World vision, 2021)
1.1.4.2 The relationship between education and employability
Education helps eradicate poverty and hunger, giving people the chance at better lives In developing, low-income countries, for example, there is a projected 10 per cent increase in a person‘s future income for every additional year of education It is also why nations work toward promoting easier access to education for both children and adults
Below are some of the other most common reasons why education is so important:
Education helps a person hone their communication skills by learning how to read, write, speak and listen
Education develops critical thinking This is vital in teaching a person how to use logic when making decisions and interacting with people (e.g., boosting creativity, enhancing time management)
Education helps an individual meet basic job qualifications and makes them more likely to secure better jobs
Education promotes gender equality and helps empower girls and women
A World Bank report found that an extra year of schooling for girls reduces teen pregnancy rates by six per cent and gave women more control over how many children they have
Education reduces child mortality According to UNESCO, a child born to a mother who can read is 50 per cent more likely to survive past the age of five
For over 60 years, economists have demonstrated how education leads directly to major economic returns in salary and GDP Education additionally plays a vital role in many countries‘ economies, as well as the general health of labor markets and overall employment Indeed, employment tends to go in lock step with increasing education standards This is true both for individuals and large economies (The learning acency, 2020)
Employability is a key concept in higher education Graduate employment rate is often used to assess the quality of university provision, despite that employability and employment are two different concepts This paper will increase the understandings of graduate employability through interpreting its meaning and whose responsibility for graduate employability from the perspectives of four key stakeholders: higher education institutions, students, government and employers (Mawson and Haworth, 2018; Oliver, 2015; Wilks et al., 2017)
Whenever we discuss about performance of professional education in general and schools in particular, we invariably talk of campus to industry gap Connecting between schools and companies of placement, has been a common theme for so many workshops
English linguistic specialization
English language is the study of language, its learning methods, and the proficient application of English skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in various areas of life such as culture, economy, and culture, trade, tourism, diplomacy, etc., through oral or written communication In addition, learning English also provides students with extensive knowledge about people, the economy, and culture in many ethnic countries that use English (knn.hdu.edu.vn,
1.2.2 The purpose of Teacher Education program at Hong Duc university
The goal of the undergraduate program is to train students for a bachelor's degree in English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English; mastering knowledge of linguistics; understanding English literature, America, and the cultures of English-speaking countries; having good translation and interpretation skills and professional skills; having the ability to conduct small-scale scientific research; having good computer and foreign language skills; having political qualities; having ethics; having health; having professional responsibility; having skills of critical thinking and
15 creativity; having teamwork; having the ability to detect and solve problems; studying and working well in an international environment; having the capacity to plan, organize, and manage professional-related activities, participate in higher-level learning, practice important personal and professional qualities and skills, and become experts in their field of expertise (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
The English language training program at Hong Duc University is 142 credits, excluding physical education and defense education
The English Language University training program aims to equip people with the following knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities for self-control and self-responsibility:
First, there is a theoretical knowledge system of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the policies and laws of the state Thereby, forming a worldview, using scientific and revolutionary methodology, building a firm belief in the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, advancing political bravery and civic consciousness, and contributing to building a rich and strong Vietnam (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Second, acquiring basic knowledge about Vietnam's geography, economy, culture, environment, and people; general sociological issues; and applying interdisciplinary knowledge to study and serve professional work, thereby raising a sense of civic responsibility in preserving and protecting the environment and Vietnamese cultural identity (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Third, having basic knowledge and skills on computers and Microsoft operating systems Windows, computer networks, and the Internet; popular utility software (browser Web, email); word processing software (Microsoft WORD); word processing software spreadsheets (Microsoft EXCEL); and presentation software (Microsoft POWERPOINT) (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Fourth, acquiring basic skills and operations in scientific research (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Fifth, gaining the ability to use English communication skills fluently (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and the basic ability to use other foreign languages on request (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Sixth, being equipped with in-depth knowledge of theory and translation skills (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Seventh, gaining the ability to use language manipulation proficiently at work interpreting (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Eighth, developing soft skills such as systems thinking, reasoning, analysis, and problem-solving skills, as well as leadership, teamwork, communication, and time management skills in study and research, and have creative ability (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Lastly, self-study, self-accumulate knowledge, skills, and experience to improve professional qualifications, develop, and lead career change
Analyze and evaluate the theoretical knowledge of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the policies and laws of the state; apply the principles, rules, and arguments of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, as well as the guidelines and lines of the party and politics State books and laws to solve practical problems posed in the process of studying, cultivating, and training oneself to meet the requirements of the training program (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Understand and analyze the current economic development situation of Vietnam; cultural elements, cultural space, and time; the environment and people; the relationship between environment, natural resources, and socio- economic development; Manipulate in solving problems posed in professional activities and professional development (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Present the concept of information and methods of information representation; are proficient in using computers with the Windows operating system; are proficient in using e-mail, searching for, and processing information on the Internet; proficiently use word processing software (Microsoft WORD), spreadsheet processing software (Microsoft EXCEL), and presentation software (Microsoft POWERPOINT) for professional work (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
To be able to carry out scientific research on basic issues in three specialized areas
Analyze, synthesize, and apply basic knowledge of language (phonetics, morphology, grammar, syntax, and semantics) in communication and professional practice
Contrast and apply the UK and US socio-cultural backgrounds in language communication situations to avoid problems in intercultural communication
1.2.4.2 Skills and capacity to be self-responsible
Apply linguistic and specialized knowledge to evaluate documents that will be used for communication, translation, and operational purposes in the working environment
Implement foreign language communication situations in actual communication Meet foreign language standards (2 levels, 3/6 equivalent) Vietnamese language ability, according to Circular 01/2014/TT-BGDT, is trained prescribed at lawful training institutions in the national education system (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Fluently use four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in the process of practical language communication in English; Meet the output standard at level 5 Vietnamese language proficiency framework (6 levels) or equivalent level C1 European Competency Framework for English language (knn.hdu.edu.vn, 2021)
Can use English-Vietnamese and Vietnamese-English translation skills to translate sentences and expressions in different types of text; English-Vietnamese and Vietnamese-English translation ability at a successful level of fluency
Reasoning, analyzing, and solving problems in professional activities: identifying Define and analyze work goals, implement solutions, and make recommendations in the process of performing professional tasks
Apply soft skills for self-development, such as communication skills, presentations, teamwork, self-study, self-research, and the accumulation of knowledge and experience to improve professional qualifications
Having the ability to lead professionally and be professionally trained in the working process; taking initiative in performing assigned tasks; being able to draw conclusions on common professional issues and some complex issues in the process of translating and interpreting English
Career orientation and planning to adapt to the changing requirements of the environment
Self-study and self-accumulation of knowledge and experience to improve professional qualifications
The choice of university specilization by high school graduates
Choosing the right major in college is never easy for anyone, especially for students at the end of high school when they are standing on an important threshold in their lives The major will decide 80% of your future career If I choose the right industry with the right interests and passions, my job will be favorable in the future Should I pursue my dream, will that dream really become a lifelong career for me? Or should I listen to my parents' advice, follow the trend of society, and follow an industry that is getting a lot of attention? At the higher levels of education, we often find a considerable discrepancy between the output of graduates in different specializations and the absorptive
22 capacity of the labour market leading, in turn, to unemployment and under- employment of certain types of graduates Therefore, the choice of major and school for high school graduates is gradually influenced by many different factors
To choose a career that is right for you, young people should pay attention to the following: Find the intersection of three factors: ability, passion, and social need
If you are wondering if a certain job is right for you or not, Ask and answer
Does society pay for this?
If all three answers are yes, then you can rest assured that you should choose that career
The common factors affecting choice of major for school graduates are social trend, family orientation and personal interest These factors will be presented in the following sub-sections
The world is undergoing dramatic changes in less than 20 years New jobs are born with the disappearance of some traditional jobs This change also greatly affects the trend of young people choosing a career today Regardless of their profession, young people also want to have a stable income However, they will not be satisfied with jobs that only have a fixed salary without other extra income Young people are becoming more and more ambitious in their careers Young people ask for a job with advancement opportunities instead of accepting to stay in one position for a long time If you choose a trending industry, is the future path more secure? Maybe if you learn a hot profession, there will be many job opportunities in the market However, as a "hot" profession, according to the tastes of society, the competition and level of elimination in the industry will be more fierce You will not be the only one who wants to follow this industry; there will even be thousands and hundreds of thousands of people who are
23 aiming for an opportunity in that "hot" industry In addition, society is always developing, and you choose a major for the future, so in 4-5 years after completing the university program, will that profession still be "hot"? As proof, about 10 years ago, accounting was a profession that created a craze when all family members wanted to study and work However, only a few years later, when the number of accounting graduates was too high, the market did not have enough job opportunities, and so many people were unemployed or had to change careers
Choosing a major and a university as a student is really important because it directly affects your work and income later According to Vietnamese culture Most Vietnamese teenagers are often cared for by their parents until they reach adulthood; even when they marry, they are still cared for by their parents and receive advice and criticism from them Therefore, most families are very interested in choosing the right school and major for their children They often seek advice from experienced elders to guide and remind students to choose the right major and the right school Besides, the families have a long career tradition, and they want their descendants to learn and develop the profession of their ancestors Family factors greatly affect the psychology of students' choices because, in Vietnam, parents are always the ones who tend to impose and sacrifice for their children Teenagers also tend to trust and accept the views of their parents and choose safe methods to develop So giving advice or career orientation to college-age children is inevitable
Today's young people no longer accept their fate according to the decisions and orientations of their parents But boldly choose your own path The young generation aspires to find jobs that they are really interested in and passionate about First, when you learn and work in the right profession with your passion and desire, you will certainly have fun in the process You will be motivated, inspired, and interested in studying and working the speed of advancement at
24 work will be many times faster than when doing a job that is not your strength There is a saying: "Know others, know me; a hundred battles, a hundred victories" This is especially true when it comes to young people's career choices Only you can clearly understand your strengths and weaknesses and then focus on promoting your strengths and reducing your weaknesses That way, you will go far and go more firmly on your career path Today, young people tend to prefer to work with flexible hours rather than at a job fixed office hours In many countries, freelancers are becoming a hot trend This trend is also appearing in Vietnam
However, even if you study and work according to your passion, you will not be able to avoid obstacles or difficulties There will be times when you feel depressed when things don't turn out the way you imagined There are times when you have to doubt yourself; it seems that you are not suitable for it or are not skilled and talented enough to follow the industry Therefore, before deciding on a major of your liking, make sure you have thoroughly researched the industry, learning about the nature and requirements of the industry as well as the difficulties you may encounter
The relationship between career choices and long-term earnings is a well- studied topic, and a commonly held belief College students tend to lean toward majors that promise higher-paying jobs in the future Alongside other important factors, the job market prospects and a median salary of a particular major play a significant role in students‘ decision-making process of choosing the best majors in college for the When choosing a major, learners should take into account the demand and salary potential of corresponding careers and internships, as well as the courses they'll need to take to earn their degree
The most important thing, for future career options, is to pick a major that gives you the chance to develop yourself, even in a field close to what you are interested in, and then do very well in it It will not help you in your career if you pick a major that you cannot succeed in
The world of work
1.4.1 What is the Job Market?
Rather than a physical marketplace, the job market is where the supply (individuals who are actively seeking jobs) and demand (businesses) of the labor force, as well as other factors, interact The factors include the economic activity level, industry trends, the need for certain skill sets or education level, etc For example, the rapidly growing information technology sector continues to drive the demand for computer engineers with strong programming skills.From the micro-perspective, understanding the job market helps individuals to assess their competitiveness and career plan better From the macro-perspective, the health of job markets reflects the overall economic condition and trend (CFI, 2023)
1.4.2 Supply and Demand in the Job Market
Similar to the markets of goods and services, job markets also follow the supply-demand mechanism When the quantity of workers demanded is equal to the labor force available (the quantity of supply), the job market reaches its equilibrium point, and wages can be determined.The wage level rises when the demand is greater than the supply and lowers when the supply exceeds the demand for workers However, wages cannot always move freely There is often a floor determined by the government, which is known as the minimum wage.When the equilibrium wage is above the minimum wage level, introducing a minimum wage will not lead to a major impact on the job market When a minimum wage is established at a level higher than the equilibrium wage, the quantity of demand will fall as businesses will instead try to control their labor costs by reducing the number of employees The quantity of supply increases as there are more active job seekers motivated by the higher wage level It forms a gap between supply and demand and thus, leads to unemployment Despite this drawback, the minimum wage policy can provide both economic and social benefits By increasing the wages of low-income workers, the government can reduce its spending on social programs to support these individuals and relieve the economic inequality at the same time (CFI, 2023)
The policy of an open and integrated economy has made many foreign businesses choose Vietnam as a fertile business environment with high potential for development This not only increases the country's economy but also creates many job opportunities for students, people working in multinational companies, and foreign businesses People who are fluent in foreign languages often have a guaranteed income and are much better off than those who do not have the same level of expertise Not only that, but their career opportunities are also more diverse In the era of globalization, English is needed in every profession around the world With a bachelor's degree in English, you can choose from many attractive jobs, such as: Specialization in Translation, Language, and Culture:
• Translators and interpreters at translation centers, translation companies, press agencies, publishing houses, diplomatic missions, and businesses
• Office and public relations specialists in companies, cultural, educational, and economic agencies
• Expert in customer transactions involving foreign elements in businesses and enterprises
• A clerical specialist in charge of translating and interpreting documents for companies and businesses
• Receptionists at hotels and restaurants that have contact with foreign guests
• A tour guide for foreign guests
Specialization in Economics, Management, and Commerce:
• Jobs related to the field of international relations and foreign affairs at enterprises, media agencies, and economic and social organizations in Vietnam and internationally
• Can hold other positions in functional departments of organizations, in foreign companies or joint ventures with foreign countries, in organizations and
27 agencies that use English in transactions and business such as sales, customer service, import and export, marketing,
• English teachers at English schools and centers
• Consultant, coordinator, and trainer of English classes at English centers, universities, research institutes, educational institutions and companies
• Experts at the English language testing and training departments at home and abroad
• Researcher on programs and methods of teaching English at schools, institutes and educational institutions
Specialization in English for Communication
• Working directly for companies in the fields of journalism and communication such as public relations, marketing, advertising, radio, and television, specifically: MCing for events and programs; writing articles and newsletters as a reporter; compiling and editing content like an expert for a specific column for each field such as an economic column in media agencies; assessment and critique; advertising; and more advanced jobs such as operating, managing, and producing programs
• Working for domestic and foreign companies specializing in marketing and advertising or in the marketing and advertising department and performing the work of promoting the company's products, designs, and brands to customers, the public, partners, and international markets
• Can build brands by acting as a brand representative and promoting the company's image because of its strength in communication, especially in English;
• Working as a salesperson, market development, advertising, marketing, public relations, external relations, SEO specialist, and running advertisements for websites such as Facebook, Zalo, schools, and businesses, among others
Even while sitting in school, students majoring in English can look for part- time jobs to earn extra income while improving their English skills, such as English teacher for children, teaching assistant for English centers
1.4.4 English competence level required for jobs
Effective communication is key to team and organizational success No wonder 65% of recruiters say that this skill is more important than a Major Cambridge English‘s global analysis of language skills in the workplace report looked at the importance of English in the global economy by surveying thousands of companies around the world The study, which looked at data from over 5,300 employers in 38 countries/territories found that English language skills are important for over 95% of companies in many countries and territories where English is not an official language, such as Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Switzerland (Regional Recognition Manager, Australasia, ASEAN, Japan & Korea at Cambridge Assessment English, 2021) a)Reading & listening skills
Reading is one of the key skills in language with 38% of companies globally in the English at work survey think that reading is the most important skill Understanding written text is crucial for a job position that involves the perusal of documents, files, emails, contracts, manuals, articles etc
As a passive skill, listening skills usually develop before a person learns to speak a language It is the ability to understand spoken language in different settings such as a phone call, a Zoom meeting, a face-to-face meeting etc
Reading and listening skills are not easy to test By just using a recorded voice track or a text that is accompanied by a few multiple-choice questions, recruiters cannot evaluate reading capabilities efficiently Where employees are expected to be familiar with the language of business, a well-developed English test with comprehensive research used in a business and corporate setting, is most suitable for recruitment b) Speaking skills
A candidate who can speak English or any language can put his/her thoughts across This skill is particularly important for roles in which employees have to communicate verbally with clients, business partners or their team members
About 32% of companies globally in the English at Work survey rely on interviews to evaluate a candidate‘s speaking skills and only 11% of them use externally provided English tests However, there are more efficient ways of testing English speaking skills in the workplace to ensure good quality of candidates c) Writing skills
Writing skills are evaluated to determine a job candidate‘s ability to write in the target language If the position is one that depends heavily on an employee who can write emails, articles, manuals and other documents and ensure the reader understands his/her intent in the written word, a writing test is the best language fluency test you can use during the screening process
In conclusion, businesses are more globally oriented than ever before and English is still considered to be the corporate language of choice in most companies Test job candidates on the aforementioned key skills in English to distinguish the grain from the chaff
The vast majority of employers have at least one method of assessing English language competency The most common method is to interview applicants in English while over a quarter of employers in the English at Work survey use an externally created English language test The problem is that companies are happy to provide considerable benefits to staff with highly valuable English skills, but they do not use a robust way of testing and recording the English fluency level of their staff Having part or all of the interview in English is useful, but it doesn‘t test writing or reading skills and candidates can prepare in advance for it
1.4.5 English for work skills and income prospect
METHODOLOGY
The context of the study
The study was carried out at the Faculty of Foreign Language, Hong Duc University Hong Duc University is a local multidisciplinary public university directly under the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province In July 2018, Webometrics ranked HDU 19 out of 235 universities and institutes in the country, although this is a young higher education institution of just over 20 years, established after many other universities.
The participants
The participants in this study were 340 English linguistics students at HDU's Faculty of Foreign Languages All the participants were at the ages of 18 to 24 and the majority of them are proficient in English They are conversant in English, but not all of them are eager to study it.
Data collection instruments
Questionnaires were used to gather data for analysis The primary goal of using this instrument was to collect pertinent data from a large number of subjects Students' opinions that reflect their attitudes were acquired by means of a methodically and meticulously constructed and prepared questionnaire in order to better understand the elements that influence students' decisions to learn English as a foreign language and to gather useful data for the study Basically, opinions showing support for or opposition to learning English as a requirement for landing a good job For instance, the researcher carefully modified questions from study by Getahun (1997), Medhanie (1986), Mohamed (2004), and Tursi
(1970) The questionnaire was created in English to reduce any potential difficulties The researcher worked hard to collect accurate data in order to expand the scope of the questionnaire The researcher chose to utilize only closed-ended items in the questionnaire due to a lack of time, the ease of analysis, and to lessen misunderstanding The questionnaire featured 5-point
Likert-type scales for both positive and negative items, and students were free to check or uncheck the scale that best reflected their ideas Finally, the researcher administered the surveys after distributing them to the chosen respondents It was urged for respondents to feel free to ask any questions about the questionnaire It took about 15 minutes for the participants to complete the questionnaire, which was then collected by the researcher
Interviewing helps the researchers approach and get answers to in-depth interview questions, even on difficult topics to discuss Gather additional information through sub-questions Then return to the main questions to better understand the attitudes of the participants Get more accurate answers than with other data collection methods Changes in the participants' tone and choice of words could be tracked It doesn't take a lot of people to join, but you still get useful information The researcher will conduct twenty random interviews with English majors at Hong Duc University The interview guide had ten questions This interview tests students' interest in English and their motivation to learn it
At the same time, survey the extent of the influence of work on the decision to learn English In questions one and two, the researchers investigate the benefits of learning the English language Question 1 asks what opportunities knowing English brings to student life, and Question two focuses on the common benefits of knowing English Question three asks if they have had any chance of being exposed to a professional English environment The next three sentences find out some reasons they think English is important at work Question eight focuses on participants' attitudes when it comes to the influence of English on a job Question nine and ten asks if they are willing to study a higher level of a foreign language for their future career development in any profession Each interview last about 15 minutes.
Data collection procedure
The questionnaire was sent to the participants via email, to 340 students majored in English linguistics Before distribution of the questionnaire, the participants were explained about the research purpose 100 percent of the respondents returned the questionnaire
Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 students who participated in answering the questionnaire The interviews were conducted at the participants‘ convenience, at different places, including in the classroom and at home Each interview lasted about 15 minutes and was audio recorded for ease of analysis at later stages.
Data analysis
The data gathered from students was analyzed using quantitative methods
As the researcher incorporated only those close-ended questions, the data gathered through the questionnaire were organized, tabulated, and analyzed quantitatively in the form of percentages The data collected from interviews were analyzed qualitatively
The data presented and to be analyzed in this section of the study are job demands that affect students‘ decisions towards learning the English language, as reported by students at HDU's English language The data gathered from respondents through the questionnaire were analyzed using quantitative methods Students were asked to put a tick under each statement, using a 5-point Likert scale rating system as follows: strongly agree = 5, agree = 4, no opinion = 3, disagree = 2, strongly disagree = 1, and vice versa for negative statements, in order to identify the percent of a job's factors influencing students' decisions to learn English and the extent to which identified factors exert an influence on students' attitudes As the students who put a tick under the numbers 5 and 4 (strongly agree and agree) confirmed students who have positive attitudes,
36 though the frequency differs, the total percentage of students who highly agreed On the other hand, the percentage of students who rated the alternatives
"strongly disagree" and "disagree" is summed up to show the students who have negative attitudes towards learning English as an opportunity to get a good job as compared to the frequency of the two options Finally, the percentage of those students who rated "No Opinion" is indicated separately and used to demonstrate the above two extremes In addition to this, the mean and cumulative mean were calculated to identify how "job demand" exerts an influence on the students‘ decisions while learning English
Data from the interviews were analyzed qualitatively First, the interviews were transcribed verbatim right after each interview Then the interview transcripts were analyzed by assigning codes to data segments according to the strategies suggested by Miles et al (2014) After that, codes are organized into themes, and these themes became the headings for presenting the study‘s findings in the results chapter
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Findings from the questionnaire
From the survey data, there are many students who choose to major in English because of the influence of job demand and income after graduation Besides, a small number of students agree to choose this major for other reasons, such as passion or advice from relatives In particular, most of them choose to English linguistics at Hong Duc university because the tuition fees are reasonable given the reference information on the school's website All the given data emphasizes that current English majors at Hong Duc University are very interested in financial issues and job and income needs when choosing to major in English Because the survey is limited to English language students at Hong Duc University, the results certainly only reflect the situation of job needs affecting the decision to learn English of Hong Duc students However, I hopes that the following findings and discussions will provide useful information for students to realize the importance of English today With this positive metric, students can be more motivated and targeted in meeting their personal needs
3.1.1 Students' attitudes towards learning English
The author focuses on the question of whether English is your favorite subject or not The author collected the following data:
Figure 1: Students’ interest in learning English
The pie chart shows the number of students who chose English linguistics as their major due to is the reason that it was their favorite subject It can be seen that a high percentage of students like English (47%) However, this rate is not
No opinionAgreeStrongly agree
38 high, given their major is English linguistic Besides, the numbers of students who didn‘t agree accounted for nearly 40%, which revealed that many students chose this major for other reasons
3.1.2 The effect of job prospects on the decision to study English
The author focuses on questions about the influence of job prospects on learning English The survey results were collected and presented in the chart below.
Figure 2: Demand for a good job after graduation in choosing a major English
Figure 3: Effect of good income on choosing to learn English linguistic
No opinion Agree Strongly agree
No opinionAgreeStrongly agree
Figure 4 : Social trends influence choosing a major in English
Figure 5 :Effect of job opportunities when choosing to study English
English has become a global lingua franca, and jobs related to it are increasing day by day with attractive salaries According to the survey, up to 75% of students agree that they choose to study English because of their good future income, and 70% agree that the decision to learn English is because of many job opportunities Beside that, up to 65% of the data indicates that students who choose to study English because of getting a good job after graduation The number of students disagreeing with these ideas ranged from only 3% to 5% In summary, job factors greatly influence Hong Duc students' choice to learn English
No opinion Agree Strongly agree
No opinionAgreeStrongly agree
3.1.3 The influence of advice on the decision to learn the English language
The author collects data on the effects of some advice on decisions to learn English Below are graphs representing information that the author has collected from Hong Duc's English language students
Figure 6: Friend's advice in deciding to learn English
Figure 7: Successful businessman’s advice in deciding to learn English
Strongly disagree Disagree No opinion Agree Strongly agree
Strongly disagree Disagree No opinion Agree Strongly agree
Figure 8: Parent’s advice in deciding to learn English linguistic
Choosing a major has a big impact on students' futures Therefore, the advice drawn from the lessons of others is really important According to the data, although only 31% of students agree to choose to learn English on the advice of friends, up to 56% of students decide based on the advice of entrepreneurs, and 50% decide based on parental advice From this data, it shows that more than half of students have consulted and selected majors based on advice and experience from people they trust
3.1.4 The influence of information on social networks on the decision to learn English
Social media is growing day by day and has a great influence on people's lives The researcher investigates the influence of social networks on the decision of foreign language students to study majors and collects the following data:
Strongly disagree Disagree No opinion Agree Strongly agree
Figure 9: Learn English linguistics because of the information on Hong Duc ‘s website
Figure 10: The influence of the media on the choice of learning English
Nowadays, people can easily search for university information on the university's website before deciding to attend Not only that, but social networks provide us with a lot of useful information in all aspects According to a survey, about 50% to 55% of students choose to study English at Hong Duc University after searching for information on social networks In summary, information on social networks has helped 50% of students choose English majors at Hong Duc University
Strongly disagree Disagree No opinion Agree Strongly agree
Strongly disagree Disagree No opinion Agree Strongly agree
3.1.5 Some other factors influence choosing to learn the English language
In addition to the above factors, the author explores other factors such as tuition fees and how youth trends affect the choices of students Below is the data the author has collected
Figure 11: The effect of the current trend among young people in deciding to learn English linguistic
Figure 12: Reasonable tuition fees affect the decision to learn English linguistic
Tuition fees and current youth trends are also very interesting and are studied by students According to the survey, although 60% of students do not agree with the decision to study English because of the youth trend, the number of young people who decide to study because of the trend is also relatively high
Strongly disagree Disagree No opinion Agree Strongly agree
Strongly disagree Disagree No opinion Agree Strongly disagree
44 at 35% At that time, up to 60% of students chose to study English at Hong Duc University because of the low tuition fees This figure is as high as the rate of job prospects In summary, the trend among young people does not have too much influence on students' decisions to learn foreign languages The student's decision to study English at Hong Duc School is greatly influenced by the low tuition fee
In summary, Hong Duc University students' decision to major in English is influenced by many factors However, the factors of interest do not directly affect their choice to learn foreign languages The main cause comes from individual needs and the influence of social trends They are aware of the importance and applicability of their foreign language advantages after graduation to find a good job with a high salary and many opportunities for development Although there are a small number of students who choose English majors, it is not because of job needs But no matter what purpose they study for, knowing a new language is already an advantage in their own lives Research results show that a large number of English-language students are doing English- related jobs with attractive salaries and higher development opportunities than other majors.
Findings from the interview
According to the interview, up to 12/20 students have a negative attitude when asked about the difficult things about majoring in English They reflect that learning English is difficult, and that is not their strong point
The attitude of students when asked about the benefits of studying English is very positive Up to 16/20 of you agree and share that English has brought them a lot of luck and a better income The remaining four students reported that learning English was only partially useful to them Le Thi A said that ―I am very proud to be a foreign language student Although I have many limitations on new words and have many difficulties with pronunciation, I also feel great when I am more and more confident in communication Learning the English language also helps me have a much higher income than other students I am a tutor and a
45 teaching assistant at the center My monthly income is usually 2 to 3 times higher than that of you guys doing other jobs that do not relate to English‖ This finding is within the researcher's prediction because job demand in the current society is closely related to the use of English This finding leads the author to believe that the need for work has influenced the students' decision to study English because most students realize the value of English in their work As proven, employment is an inevitable need for each person, and English will be a tool to get a good job in the future
The researcher further surveyed 11/20 students who had ever experienced working in a professional English-speaking environment, and 20/20 students reported that they knew people who worked professionally with English Le Van
A said that ―My sister is a translator, and my brother is an English teacher Both of them have a high income and a friendly, open personality I admire them so much‖ Nguyen Thi Dai C said that‖ Some jobs directly related to English that I know of are translator, interpreter, English teacher, etc But I think currently, every occupation requires English‖ The attitude of all students was very eager and full of admiration, although not all of them had done these jobs In addition, 18/20 students agreed that English is the trend right now In the current situation of society, only two students reflected that English is currently only a need and trend among young people
Especially, when the researcher asked about the average income of English language students, 16 out of 20 people that they have twice as much income as their peers in other industries Some people work as tutors, teachers, interpreters, translators, etc., and their income is up to 200 to 500 thousand dong per 2 hours Even higher Nguyen Thi N said ―Learning English also helps me have a much higher income than other students My income is even enough for me to pay my tuition fees and monthly living expenses Now that I also have my own savings‖
The researcher interviewed the participants about the need to learn a second language, and up to 17/20 of you are interested in learning a new language 5/20 people plan to learn more Korean, 10/20 people plan to learn more Chinese, and
2/20 people plan to learn Japanese The remaining three students just want to focus on English because their skills are not so good Hoang Thu A said that ―I plan to learn more Chinese because I love this language, and currently the job opportunities when fluent in Chinese are relatively high, but I am still focusing on learning English because I think English is still the most commonly used language and gives us more opportunities‖ Overall, all students are interested in learning new languages, but at the moment they still want to focus completely majoring in the English language
When researcher asked for more reasons to be excited about learning a new language, up to 11 out of 17 people reported that they had high expectations about the salary and opportunities they would receive thanks to their proficiency in a foreign language and 6/17 students report that they like the new language because they love the culture and people there, and being fluent in multiple languages will partly help their life and work in the future
In general, English-language students at Hong Duc University were very interested and cooperated in interviews That makes it easy for the researcher to find out that job and income factors have a great influence on students' learning goals and motivation The interview took place in surprise among 20 students, and most of the students are working hard with their major, even though for some it is not their strong point The English language brings difficulties and challenges, but it also creates many opportunities for students, helping them to feel more confident, find a more stable job, and earn a higher income After random interviews, the researcher concluded that learning English has brought many benefits and opportunities for students, both at work and in life Although not all are interested in learning English, almost all students have a positive attitude and clear goals when learning English Inconclusion, job opportunities, and personal income are two of the needs that most influence students' motivation and decision to study English at Hong Duc
CONCLUSION
Books and articles
Miles, M B., Huberman, A M., & Salda a, J (2014) Qualitative data analysis:
A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.) SAGE Publications
Crystal, D (2012) English as a global language (2nd ed.) Cambridge University Press.
Foreign news source
1 Burlington https://burlingtonenglish.in/blog/why-english-is-important-for-a- career/?fbclid=IwAR3tFZeMpt0CAJx0xlTSBwCG5rT_JS30q 3EaMS8aIRpkG 784BG5wqPwNk
2 English at Work: global analysis of language skills in the workplace (cambridgeenglish.org)
3 How Does Education Determine One’s Future Income? (2020, june monday) Retrieved from Vilnius University: https://www.vu.lt/en/news-events/news/how-does-education-determine- one-s-future-income
4 Kings Education of life (2022, December 12) Retrieved from 8
Benefits of Learning English in 2023: https://www.kingseducation.com/kings-life/benefits-of-learning- english?fbclid=IwAR3yahf9K-LHAuAp7a4_I32G_YDqU1l3Ii-
5 Kings (2022, 12 12) 8 Benefits of Learning English in 2023
Sm@rtHub:https://www.kingseducation.com/kings-life/benefits-of- learning-english
6 Le, C (2021, 3 11) Key language skills in the workplace that recruits should be tested on Retrieved from linked in:
50 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/key-language-skills-workplace-recruits- should-tested-carmen-le
7 Pearson (2016, March 15) pearson 6 surprising ways English helps your career https://www.britishcouncil.org/contact/press/employment- main-motivation-behind-english-language-learning?fbclid=IwAR2pf0Av- ioq5AQN5u7BmLPd uFjaRZWdRMTANj4GeW_yujhmdKV68NXiM
8 The learning agency (2020, August 4) Retrieved from https://www.the-learning-agency.com/insights/education-and-income- how-learning-leads-to-better-salaries/
9 TeamCIF.(2023,January9).Job Market Retrieved from CFI: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/economics/job-market/
1 Blue, J (22/7/2021) Developing employability skills in Higher
2 PSACHAROPOULOS, H A (December 07, 2018) Strong link between education and earnings
3 Subudhi, R N (June 2015) Professional Education for Employability:A Critical Review
Vietnamese news sources
1 JobStreet (2015, May 11) Vì sao lương cao hơn khi giỏi tiếng Anh? DAN
TRI https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc-huong-nghiep/vi-sao-luong-cao-hon-khi- gioi-tieng-anh-20151105160009134.htm
2 Navigos Group (2019, July 18) CÓ NĂNG LỰC NGOẠI NGỮ – CƠ HỘI THU NHẬP TRÊN 400$/1 THÁNG BTEC FPT https://btec.fpt.edu.vn/co- nang-luc-ngoai-ngu-co-hoi-thu-nhap-tren-400-1-thang/
3 Quên, M (2018, November 26) Có năng lực ngoại ngữ, cơ hội thu nhập sẽ tốt hơn THANH NIEN https://thanhnien.vn/co-nang-luc-ngoai-ngu-co-hoi-thu- nhap-se-tot-hon-185807062.htm
A.The benefits of learning the English language for students
1 As a student majoring in English, list out the advantages and disadvantages of studying this major
2 Do you think English has brought you a lot of luck ?
B.Chance of being exposed to a professional English environment
3 Have you ever joined a professional English job ? a)What job is that ? b)Who gave you the opportunity to work in a professional environment ?
C.English is important at work
4 List some English-related jobs that you know
5 Do you have any acquaintances who work directly related to English ?
6 If you didn't study a English linguistic, what major would you study?
7 What is the highest salary you have ever received?
Is the job related to English?
8 Along with your studies, what is your current job? Are the income and benefits good?
E Higher level of a foreign language
9 Are you planning to study for a master‘s or doctoral degree?
10 Do you have any plans to learn another foreign language?
QUESTIONS FOR THE SURVEY QUESTIONAIR
A survey of factors affecting students' decisions to study English linguistics at Hong Duc University
2.Which class are you in?
Question : Why did you choose to study English linguistics?
I chose the English linguistic specialization because English was my favourite subject at school
I chose the English linguistic specialization because it might guaranteer a good job after graduation
English language skills would help me to find a well-paid job
I chose the English linguistic specilization because of the current high stutus of English in
I chose the English linguistic specilization because of its
53 being reputed for opening more job opportunies
I chose the English linguistic specilization on the advice of my friends
I chose the English linguistic specialization on the advice of a successful businessman
I chose the English linguistic specilization following the current trend among young people
I chose the English linguistic specilization based on the information on social media
I chose the English linguistic specilization following my parents‘ advice
I chose the English linguistic specilization at Hong Duc university because the tuition fee is reasonable
I chose the English linguistic specilization at Hong Duc univeristy based on the information provided on the