The Relevance of English Exit Exams for University Graduates and English Proficiency Demands of Employees in Thailand

Universities in Thailand can decide on their policy to develop and standardize their students’ language proficiency (Office of Higher Education Commission, 2016). They provide a variety of English courses, and many of them provide an English exit exam for their students before graduation. This exam may be their own standardized exam or a commercial one. Exam results can also be used as a proof of graduates’ English proficiency to their potential employers. However, their proficiency does not appear to meet the demands of the current job market.

English language instruction is less likely to be successful if there is no clear systematic path from studying English as a subject in the university to expected English ability measured by an exit exam, and ability of English which might enhance one’s employability after graduation. We are therefore interested in determining whether there is a connection across these settings. 

Overall, this project will provide an overview of the relationships between English learning in formal educational settings, expected English competence of graduates, and needs for future employees' English proficiency from perspectives of international business in Thailand. These findings may provide directions for English language teaching in higher education that will enhance future workforce language competency and serve as a resource for policy makers and practitioners in Higher Education in Thailand.