Reforming English for Employability: Insights from Employers and Graduates in a Malaysian Context

Authors

  • Zuraina Ali

    Department of English, Centre for Modern Languages, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan 26600, Malaysia
  • Sareen Kaur Bhar

    Learning Institute of Empowerment, Multimedia University, Melaka 75450, Malaysia
  • Sidra Mahmood

    Department of English Linguistics and Literature, Riphah International University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
  • Rahmah Mokhtar

    Faculty of Computing, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan 26600, Malaysia
  • Amy Zulaikha Mohd Ali

    Department of English, Centre for Modern Languages, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan 26600, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i9.10249
Received: 29 May 2025 | Revised: 10 June 2025 | Accepted: 16 June 2025 | Published Online: 15 September 2025

Abstract

In Malaysia’s multilingual economy, English proficiency is a crucial driver of graduate employability. Despite national initiatives such as the Graduate Employability Blueprint and the English Language Roadmap, a gap remains between employer expectations and graduates’ actual communication skills. This study addresses that gap using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design involving interviews with six human resource professionals and survey responses from 94 undergraduates across two Malaysian universities. Grounded in the Employability Theory, Human Capital Theory, and Bourdieu’s concept of Symbolic Power, where language proficiency can influence access to opportunities, the research examines employer priorities, graduate perceptions, and strategies for curriculum reform. Findings show that employers emphasize practical communication traits such as clarity, spoken confidence, adaptability, and appropriate tone over native-like fluency or grammatical perfection. Conversely, graduates often focus on formal accuracy and overlook real-world communication needs. This mismatch, described as a “language wall,” can impede career mobility even for technically capable candidates. Speaking and listening emerged as key areas for development, particularly in professional settings like presentations and meetings. The study advocates for repositioning English language education as a strategic tool for employability. Recommendations include embedding industry-specific communication modules, incorporating role-play and simulation tasks, and fostering stronger university–industry collaboration. These reforms align with Malaysia’s national development plans and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), promoting both workforce readiness and equitable access to professional opportunities.

Keywords:

Graduate Employability; Workplace Communication; English Proficiency; Higher Education; Malaysia; Symbolic Capital; Mixed Methods; ESP

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How to Cite

Ali, Z., Bhar, S. K., Mahmood, S., Mokhtar, R., & Mohd Ali, A. Z. (2025). Reforming English for Employability: Insights from Employers and Graduates in a Malaysian Context. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(9), 801–816. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i9.10249

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 9 (September 2025): In progress

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Zuraina Ali, Sareen Kaur Bhar, Sidra Mahmood, Rahmah Mokhtar, Amy Zulaikha Mohd Ali

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.