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Grads who can converse well in English are more employable

Published by Afterschool.my on Sep 20, 2012, 07:24 am

  • Being well versed in English won't be enough to get employed. Employers want graduates who can communicate in English.
  • Of the 28% of students who had achieved a credit in SPM English 2010, only 30 to 40 percent would be employable, said Malaysian Employers Federation Executive Director Shamsuddin Bardan.
  • He adds that a credi tin SPM English doesn't warrant that the student can communicate well. Even if the number of students who passed with a credit increases, it will not be able to bridge the gaps in the workforce.
  • The situation was further aggravated by the unwillingness of many employers to offer English and communication training to employees and prospective employees.
  • He also highlighted the discrepancy between the employer's views on the importance of English in hiring versus those of fresh graduates .
  • “In a survey by JobStreet, 56% of employers viewed poor command of English as a reason for not hiring, while only 23% of fresh graduates shared that view.
  • Meanwhile, TalentCorp Malaysia CEO Johan Mahmood Merican said it was important to change the Malaysian attitude towards English.
  • “We have to change the youth's outlook on English. The language must be seen as a means of advancement in life, to land a better job or to access a wider range of knowledge,” he said.
  • He added that English needed to be promoted not just in terms of learning but also for communication.
  • “Are we really training our children to communicate?” he asked. “We need our teachers to really engage our children and provide them the soft skills they will need in the working world.”
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