presentation of Employees' perceptions on the importance of English Proficiency for employability in Indonesia

1. EMPLOYEES’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY FOR EMPLOYABILITY IN INDONESIA
(A STUDY CASE IN EAST JAVA)
By:
Isna Rizqi Kartika Fahmi
NIM. 1523106

2. English plays a vital role in any major of life include in business and
workplace area. Companies nowadays placed English proficiency
as one of the communication skills which applicants must have in
their recruitment. English proficiency then is considered important
for employability in Indonesia. But Indonesian’s English proficiency
is categorized low and the graduates are still having lack
competences of English as their communication skills.
CHAPTER I Introduction
Background of the
study

3. The writer will focus on finding out employees'
perceptions towards the importance of English
proficiency for employability as a study case in East
Java, Indonesia. Furthermore, analyzing the most
important English skills considered by the
employees as employability aspects.
Employability is not just becoming employable in
the fapplying job but also in performing job
responsibilities.
Scope and Limitation
CHAPTER I Introduction

4. Statements of the problem
• How are employees’ perceptions toward the importance of
English proficiency for employability in Indonesia?
• Which English language skills are considered important by
the employees to perform their job responsibilities?

5.  Showing employees perceptions on
the importance of English for
employability in Indonesia.
 To find out English language skills
which are considered important by
the employees to perform their job
responsibilities.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
Objectives of the Problem

6. 1) Building awareness of the importance of English proficiency to the students so that
they may improve their English proficiency to be well prepared in employment.
2) Help teacher to uncover critical areas in exploring the educational progress,
furthermore teachers may explore aspects need to tend in preparing graduates for
workplace readiness.
3) Contribute to analyzing the importance of English proficiency for employability.
4) Reiterated the role of English as the influencing factor in employability.
5) Present additional information in conducting the analysis of the importance of
English proficiency for employability.
Significances of
the Study
CHAPTER I Introduction

7. CHAPTER II Review of Related
Literature
English Proficiency
Taken the definitions from dictionaries, English proficiency is the ability of
English as a language. Proficient users are said to have a good command of
the language, i.e., they can understand the language without difficulty,
express a range of ideas clearly in speech and writing, and interact with
other speakers comfortably (Renadya, W. A., 2018).

8. CHAPTER II Review of Related
Literature
English Proficiency Assessment
There are several frameworks that describe language proficiency level. A
well established and internationally recognized is CEFR (Common
European Framework of Reference) (Renadya, W. A., 2018). In the other
hand, there are 5 standardized English proficiency test in Indonesia
which are TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, Graduate Admission Management Test
(GMAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (Wiruma, T. A., 2012). Five
performance indicators are usually used to assess language proficiency,
i.e., accuracy, fluency, complexity, appropriacy, and capacity (Richards,
2018).

9. CHAPTER II Review of
Related Literature
English Proficiency in Indonesia
According to English First (2019) which use CEFR method in taking online
worldwide test, for English proficiency, Indonesia ranks at 61 of 100
countries - a low proficiency rating. A study conducted by Nurweni and
Read (1999) provides some information level of Indonesian learners of
English. Can be taken from the study that the overall proficiency level of
the college students in the Nurweni and Read study probably did not
meet the expected standard.

10. CHAPTER II Review of
Related Literature
Employability
• Core definition describes employability as ‘the individual ability to fulfil a variety of
functions in a given labour market’.
• Broader definition defines employability as ‘all individual factors that influence the
future positioning in a given segment of the labour market’.
• Comprehensive definition describes employability as ‘all individual amd context-
related factors that will influence the future labour position in a given labour market.
In simple terms, employability is about being capable of getting and keeping fulfilling
work.
Forrier A. And Sels L. (2003) in their study of “The concept employability: a complex
mosaic” brought Thijjsen’s classification of employability as:

11. CHAPTER II Review of
Related Literature
Employability in Indonesia
Employability skills is a number of skills and attributes are required by
graduates to meet up the eligibility criteria of prospective employers
typically highlighted in job advertisements (Suwarta, I M., et al. 2018.).
Suwarta then breaking out the top five of the generic skills most
frequently requested in the job advertisement as Communication
skills, Self-management skills, Teamwork skills, Creativity and
innovation skills, and Problem-solving skills.

12. CHAPTER II Review of
Related Literature
English Proficiency as Employability Skills
Among the soft skills, communication skills have received more
attention in the context of employability. Maria L.S. et al. (2014) state in
their study that in the 21st century, the English study goal should be to
help students develop the kind of English proficiency that will enable
them to function in the globally connected workplace. Kirubahar, et.al.
(2010) claim that high English communication competence has strong
relationship with the employability. Even the high unemployment rate
among graduates is often attributed to their lack of English proficiency
and communication skills (Ting, S-H, et al. 2017).

13. RESEARCH METHOD
CASE STUDY METHOD
SUBJECT
SOURCE OF THE DATA
INSTRUMENTS
Random sampling of workers from manifacture companies in East Java.
Employees of any position any position and department were not limited to
gain the perspective from all types of worker.
The textual questionnaire which answered by the subject of the data.
Questionnaire is the list of questions or statements that are given to
participants.
As this study is a qualitative research, the researcher became the main
instrument. The researcher gathered and analyzed the data. A questionnaire
is used as a media of collecting the data and Google form is used due to the
pandemic situation.

14. Findings and Discussion
No Kriteria Jumlah Presetase
(%)
1 Usia
 <25
 25-30
 >31-40
10
9
0
52,63 %
47,37 %
0 %
Total Responden 19 %
2 Posisi Jabatan
 Staff
 Operator
 HRD
 Maintenance
 Quality Kontrol
 Quality Assurance
 Engineering
 PD Development
 Export Development
 Admin
 Co Leader
 CIF
6
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
31,58%
5,27%
5,27%
10,53%
5,27%
5,27%
5,27%
5,27%
5,27%
5,27%
5,27%
5,27%
5,27%
Total Responden 19 100%

15. English proficiency in Indonesian work area
The results presented that only 5,2% participants which using full English in the work area while
63,2% infrequently use it. By seeing the background of the data, it founds that job positions
affected the level of the use of English in their work area. Despite of the percentage of the use
English in the work area, as much as 73,7% of the participants stated that being proficient in
English in the work area is considered very important. The participants described the importance
of English proficiency in their work area are in order to work properly, for social adaptation, and
for the career development.
Acknowledging the important of English Proficiency in Indonesia, the data analysed showed that
the category of employees’ English proficiency is admitted in intermediate level. Participants’
fluency in English shows that 68.4% can speak English but are not fluent, 26.3% know English
but do not understand. Furthermore, as much as 55.6% participants are not proficient in English
when apply for jobs and employees learn more while in the work area.
It is revealed that even English is considered important in the work area, however Indonesian
people are not proficient in it and learn it while in the work area. Can be taken that the overall
proficiency level of Indonesia job seeker (which can be related to Indonesian graduates) were not
meet the expected standard.

16. English Proficiency for employability in Indonesia
Companies in the process of recruiting new employees are always selected
according to the differents requirements from general requirements to be
more specifically. The data uncovered the low need of English proficiency in
the requirements. It shown by only 21,1% of the job vacancy of the
participants was stated English proficiency as one of the requirements
needed. But over 52,6% of the participants have a perception that it is very
important for applicants to be proficient in English to be more employable.
The increasing of the global competition marketplace becomes one of the
reason to be proficient in English.

17. English language skills which are considered important by
the employees in performing job responsibilities.
Goes along with this study, when asked about the order of the most used English
skills in workplace, speaking skill and reading skill was both chosen by most
respondents (63,2%), writing (26,3%), and listening (21,1%). In that case, the
participants perceived that Speaking skills are important to be proficient for
applicants so that they can be more employable. Then followed by the writing,
reading, and listening.

18. perception about the English proficiency possessed by an employee in the manufacture factory is very
important eventhough it is being fully used or not in the workplace. The necessities for employee to be
proficient in English are in order to perform their job responsibilities effectively and also for their career
development in Indonesia. However, the data analysed showed the category of employees’ English proficiency
is admitted in intermediate level. Despite of the importance of English, Indonesian people are not proficient
in it and learn it while in the work area. That condition drawn to a conclusion that the overall proficiency level
of Indonesian job seeker (which can be related to Indonesian graduates) were not meet the expected
standard.
Forth from four English language skills, Speaking skill is considered as the most important skill to possessed by
employees in Indonesia. This result is consistent with previous studies, which then threshold level of English
language skill which is needed for developing employee. This is an area of further investigation which can
bring about a better understanding of what students need to learn in order to be able to fully employable.
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER V