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This study examined the soft skills for employability among English graduates in Bangladesh. It identified twelve fundamental soft skills, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Self-Management, People Management, Collaboration, Emotional Intelligence, Time Management, Problem-Solving, Decision-Making, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Creativity, and 49 Sub-skills. To triangulate the data, the study utilized a student survey (N=323), in-depth interviews with teachers (N=18), focus group discussions with students (N=9), and secondary literature. The findings revealed that English graduates had a higher awareness of soft skills than their actual practice. The survey results showed a gap between soft skill awareness and practice, with participants ranking their overall skill level slightly above average. Emotional intelligence, leadership, people management, and interpersonal skills were rated the highest, while creativity, problemsolving, critical thinking, and communication received the lowest scores. The in-depth interviews and focus group discussions provided further insights into the soft skill experiences of English graduates. It was found that the large class sizes in NU colleges posed challenges for effective soft skills practices. However, self-directed learning was identified as an effective method for enhancing soft skill awareness and practice. Additionally, the English curriculum indirectly encouraged the development of emotional intelligence skills among literature and language students. Based on the findings, the study recommended incorporating soft skills training into the English curriculum and providing clear implementation guidelines. This would help boost the employability of English graduates in Bangladesh. The study's implications extend to educational policy and practice, providing valuable insights for improving graduates' employability and contributing to overall economic development in the country.
This study examined the soft skills for employability among English graduates in Bangladesh. It identified twelve fundamental soft skills, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Self-Management, People Management, Collaboration, Emotional Intelligence, Time Management, Problem-Solving, Decision-Making, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Creativity, and 49 Sub-skills. To triangulate the data, the study utilized a student survey (N=323), in-depth interviews with teachers (N=18), focus group discussions with students (N=9), and secondary literature. The findings revealed that English graduates had a higher awareness of soft skills than their actual practice. The survey results showed a gap between soft skill awareness and practice, with participants ranking their overall skill level slightly above average. Emotional intelligence, leadership, people management, and interpersonal skills were rated the highest, while creativity, problemsolving, critical thinking, and communication received the lowest scores. The in-depth interviews and focus group discussions provided further insights into the soft skill experiences of English graduates. It was found that the large class sizes in NU colleges posed challenges for effective soft skills practices. However, self-directed learning was identified as an effective method for enhancing soft skill awareness and practice. Additionally, the English curriculum indirectly encouraged the development of emotional intelligence skills among literature and language students. Based on the findings, the study recommended incorporating soft skills training into the English curriculum and providing clear implementation guidelines. This would help boost the employability of English graduates in Bangladesh. The study's implications extend to educational policy and practice, providing valuable insights for improving graduates' employability and contributing to overall economic development in the country.
Soft skills, absolute knowledge, various skills, positive attitudes, values, beliefs, and habit are vital for graduates' professional, social, and personal success. Many graduate and postgraduate students struggle to adapt their learning to their daily lives and work. Thus, Bangladeshi graduates face substantial unemployment. Knowing and practicing soft skills during school helps them meet workplace needs. Therefore, soft skills training must be included in the curriculum to help students use soft skills gleaned from English literature in real life. This study assesses the soft skills needed for employment by English graduates of tertiary colleges affiliated with Bangladesh's National University (NU). The study reviewed national and international government documents, published and unpublished studies, online resources, and researchers' experiences and observations. The outcomes were categorized thematically to determine the most essential soft skills for English graduates' employability. Finally, drawing from lessons learned from national and international perspectives, some policy gaps have been explored in Bangladesh, and some policy suggestions have been made to implement soft skills training in the curriculum of English language and literature courses at NU-affiliated colleges. The findings suggest studying instructional methodologies, classroom management, question sets, teacher preparation, assessment systems, soft skills instruction, mentorship, and counseling. After reviewing the literature, the researcher finds that English graduates need 49 sub-skills in twelve soft skills: Communications, interpersonal, self-management, people management, collaboration, emotional intelligence, time management, problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, leadership, and creativity. Upon evaluating the literature, the study found that while soft skills can be improved in the English curriculum, the instruction for implementation is unclear.
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