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

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.