Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
15th International METU ELT Convention, Ankara, Türkiye, 10 - 11 Mayıs 2024, ss.117
Competency in English communication has been a key factor in the employability of graduates in international job market, and higher education is attributed the role to accommodate this need. In recent reports and studies, there is an urgent call highlighting the gap in the necessary skills the students need to be equipped with. The purpose of this study is to depict the current landscape of speaking skills and tasks that are needed by university students in their academic studies and later in their professional/work life. With this aim, the researchers have adopted a qualitative design engaging in lesson observations in different departments in an EMI university in Türkiye and conducting half-hour semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Participants include internal stakeholders, i.e., faculty, students, as well as external representatives, i.e., senior managers and workers from various industries. Both inductive and deductive thematic content analysis have been utilized. Findings revealed that students and employees carry out tasks that require both information presentation and interaction skills. Furthermore, it was also found that language proficiency has a profound impact on academic success and employability of the students. These findings underscore the importance of transferable communication skills the university students need to
be equipped with during their academic studies and prior to their graduation to better meet labor market needs. The study has valuable implications for educators and decision makers regarding the curriculum design and assessment practices of an oral communication course offered to prepare students for the demands of contemporary academic and professional landscapes.