Rethinking of English Graduates’ Employability: The Role of English Communication Skills Courses of Private Universities in Bangladesh

Abstract

There is a rising concern about employability, which has improved in the last few decades due to the growth process and global competition. This research aims to reconsider English graduates‟ employability and the role of English communication skill courses at private universities in Bangladesh. The study also intended to reconsider the performance of private university English graduates in the job market in Bangladesh by reviewing the prevailing research and providing recommendations to diverse stakeholders about employability. For this explanatory research, a mix of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies has been used to analyze the research data. A self-administered survey instrument was developed after validation and revisions based on the pilot study. This questionnaire was given to, in total, 200 students who have completed graduation or are in their final year of studying in the English department and are trying to get the expected jobs. Among them, 171 usable responses were collected and used as the sample of this study. Ten open-ended, in-depth interviews were conducted with HR personnel from the different multinational and private service sectors. The findings have shown that English communication skills courses are contributing to English graduates developing their communication skills effectively at the national level. However, that improvement level is not familiar or applicable to all English graduates internationally. From employers‟ perspective, English graduates are performing „good‟ in the present job market-though course upgradation is highly required to meet the international demands at present and the future work environment.