English as an Industry Readiness Tool for Diploma Engineering Students in Bhubaneswar
https://ijrar.org/papers/IJRAR24A2109.pdf
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF
RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL REVIEW
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© 2024 IJRAR February 2024, Volume 11, Issue 1, Page no- 731 to 736
Registration ID – 232569 I Paper ID - IJRAR24A2109
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English as an Industry Readiness Tool for Diploma Engineering
Students in Bhubaneswar
Ms. Mala Acharya
PhD
Scholar, Department of English
Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha
&
Dr. Rakesh Kumar Tripathy
Assistant
Professor, Department of English
Sri
Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha
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Abstract:
English language in the 21st century has
emerged as a vital source of employment for the educated youth who have a
strong command over it. The global corporate world is an opportunity for our
challenging youth who possess a good flare of the English language and are equipped
with impressive soft skill qualities. For a decade, Bhubaneswar has emerged
as an educational hub, particularly the Diploma Engineering Course. Unfortunately, the ratio of Diploma Engineering pass-out students and
employment is quite alarming. There
seems to be a vast gap between expected and achieved levels of efficiency. The
mismatch between the aspiration of diploma engineering students and employment
opportunities has become a challenging and contemporary issue. The present
study will surely bridge the skill gaps of the diploma engineering students and
enable them to fulfill the industry needs.
1.
Introduction
In the current scenario, the ability to use a language efficiently is very much required to remain employable. English is the most commonly used language in the corporate world; the knowledge of English is the best readiness tool. All professional courses and skill development programs are dependent on fluency in Communicative English skills for the exchange of knowledge creative ideas; and thoughts. The Diploma Engineering Course is a professional course, so students of diploma engineering need a great deal of help in improving their ability to communicate in English. This study will reflect on the pivotal role of the English language and how it equips candidates during the duration of the diploma course and finally provides an easy entry into the corporate world. The highlights here will be on the interdependence of Engineering Education on English and then its necessity as an industry-readiness tool. The skill gaps will be analyzed through its methodology, literature reviews, and observations of the problems faced with appropriate solutions. As we have a multi-cultural and multi-lingual workforce in companies, it is the language that connects them by default as used for official communication for all purposes. A representation of technical knowledge is a powerful weapon in the field of science and technology.
2. Interdependence of Engineering Education and English language
With the
advent of technology, English and Engineering are two inseparable entities (Prof.
A.M. More and Dr. J. J. Magdum). Both are dependent on each other in this
Age of Technological Revolution. The pace of its interdependence has further
been made fast with the third revolution of communication (Dr. M. Pandey
& Dr. Prabhat Pandey, 2014) in the 21st century.
2. 1: Online Course Materials
In Engineering Education, online materials are in
high demand at present as available in easy access and English is its
medium. The
present study will attempt to highlight that a good proficiency in the English
Language will provide the students the comfort zone to understand the technical
papers of each semester in the best way, and above all help the students to
overcome barriers of communication.
2.2: Lack the competence in English skills
It has been nearly a decade; the mushrooming
diploma engineering institutions produce engineers by certificates, not by skills. It’s alarming to find
that, in 3 years of the course, even learning of all theory
papers in English and answering in English language in all 6 no. of semester
exams; students lack competency highly
in reading skills, thus fail in learning and memorizing the technical concepts.
2.3: Lack
of Priority to Activity-Oriented Learning
The
Regional Medium students pursuing the course face a crucial problem in
understanding the technical jargon in the technical papers. The top priority in the diploma course is rigorous seminar presentation on technical papers from the
very beginning of the Diploma Engineering Course. With this, students can be confident
in their speaking skills which will furnish them with corporate behavior and
mannerisms. The Regional Medium students can best benefit from overcoming hesitation, shyness, and fear of speaking in this global language. This research study aims to prepare teenagers with a competent mindset to project their technical skills and to be
a strong participant in the cut-throat competition of the corporate sectors.
2.4:
Lack of encouragement for technical writings
The
gaps in English language learning in schools need to be recognized from the
very beginning of their entry into the Diploma Engineering Course. The provision of
Journal publications at the department level is a great initiative that encourages
students to study beyond the classroom and read to develop a passion for the latest
inventions in the field of technology. They can collect the latest advancements
in technology and provide articles for Department journals. Writing skills will
enable them to secure better results in academic performance.
3.
English as an
industry-readiness tool
Diploma
Engineering Course being a professional course aims to equip the students with
the vital tool of employability skills. English as an empowering tool enhances
the technical skills of an individual in a competitive environment. It plays a
vital role in the wholesome development of a person. A technically skilled
individual with better fluency in a global language increases his/her sense
of self-worth and confidence while executing assignments.
3
.1: English as a Productive skill
It strengthens employment opportunities both in the home
country and abroad. Language skill opens the door to the world being a window language and help in the better exchange of technical ideas with global
citizens. English is the only international language to be used as the vehicle
of expression in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual global (Rajesh Kumar and
Dr. Anjali, 2016) corporate world.
The global world is a world of felicitation, negotiation, leadership,
influencing, and teamwork. The
Corporate workplace demands “process skills” which we say -problem-solving and
critical thinking abilities to cope with challenging situations.
Unfortunately, the teaching of English and the importance of the LSRW skills have not yet been taken seriously in the diploma
engineering course. In Bhubaneswar alone, there are nearly 31 diploma
engineering colleges. There is no such study taken up so far on diploma
engineering colleges of Bhubaneswar to find out the difficulties faced by the
students in the campus drives. Students with good academic performance fail to
express their technical ideas in English. This highlights the lack of emphasis on
English language teaching and learning in Regional medium schools.
3.2: English as Mother-Tongue of the Corporate World
The researcher in the fields of science, education,
engineering and technology, research, laboratories, information technology, and
other fields is required to have excellent oral and written communication
abilities as well as outstanding listening and reading skills. The global world
has defined English as the “Mother tongue of the Corporate World”. Fluency in
English will enable a candidate to be a confident and effective team member, and develop leadership skills in problem-solving and business collaborations, abroad
visits for project works, etc. The study will be helpful to brainstorm in
designing innovative curricula to meet the expectations of industries.
3.3: English for better job opportunities
Acquiring mastery over this international language, an
engineer will develop the soft skills to use it as a readiness tool and match
it to the varied situations in the field, project works, negotiations, etc. A qualified engineer with verbal ability skills can get better job
opportunities in other fields also like- all Govt jobs, banking sectors, and
various administrative jobs. Good knowledge of Competitive English opens up
numerous job opportunities for engineering students.
3.4: English as a means to an end
English and its skills act as a means to be a winner to reach the zenith in the career path. Multiple skills are only accessible with good English knowledge. The young technocrats with good academic performance in Diploma Engineering courses are held high as the flagship of a competent career at a tender age in the community of engineers with the qualities of soft skills. These are the life skills which is a lifelong learning but the only means to it is the English language. The global language encourages students to remain updated with the latest inventions. This further helps the students to undertake project works-both major and minor projects work. Mentors need to motivate and provide a helping hand to undertake numerous mini-project works. The project activities develop teamwork, leadership skills, creativity, and adaptability in carrying out the challenging responsibilities of the project ideas. Training on employability skills like group discussion, psychometric tests, role-plays, etc. makes a candidate competent to settle with a career in any part of the world as English is considered a link language. A sincere effort is required in carrying out the involvement of students in different project activities and in providing the requisite employment skills.
4. English as a global language serves a social purpose
Language as an effective employability skill
enables diploma engineering students to appear in the written exam and
personal interviews comfortably and confidently.
4.1: English as a pathfinder for economically weak
class
The economically weak students with good competency in
English can broaden their minds and develop emotional skills. Thus, in
the process improve the quality of life by being eligible for job
opportunities. So there is an urgent
need to train the students in the LSRW skills to make them employable.
4.2: The importance of English has a wider impact on life
With good fluency in English, an engineering student
finds a key to numerous doors of employment anywhere in the world. The wider
job opportunities bring a better standard of living with a better social
status.
5. Objectives:
Ø To understand the measure reason behind the skill gaps
among the diploma engineering students
Ø To
increase the employability quotient and diminish the degree of unemployment.
Ø To
find solutions to overcome problems faced by diploma engineering
institutions for enhancing employability skills among students.
Ø As a social responsibility, to bring a rise in the standard of living of the people and equivalent distribution of wealth.
6. Methodology:
The research study has used secondary data as a source of information for the fulfillment of the objective in the present study. Relevant information has been collected from books, journals, Internet. Also, other sources are discussed with technical experts and HRs during their visits for campus placement, along with personal observations for the collection of data. Information from research articles and important published papers of the past has been studied, also past literature reviews on engineering education and problems faced by engineering students in their profession have been used to reach the depth of the topic.
7. Review of
Literature:
7.1: Dr. Thimmesha L, N.R.
Sreenatha, and Nagaraju K R in the
Article - Engineering students and Communication in English with Recent
Innovations have explained –
“Students need to be competent in the English language to master the engineering knowledge
and skills in the best way. Technical journals, scientific papers; also
engineering graphs are available mostly in English on a wider scale. As the world is
shrinking into a global village, professionals face challenges of communicating
effectively and efficiently in their workplace.
In the era of liberation, privatization, and globalization, communicative
skills are key to success. Thus, this language acts as a bridge to international
business. For both academic life and prospective careers, English is
required for engineers. Above all, good English will enable engineers to get
their ideas across the globe in a better and faster way.”
“Further, all communications and
documentation in Multinational Companies are carried in English language.
Scientists, technologists, and business experts in a single platform belonging
to different cultures and linguistic backgrounds converse in the English language
only.
7. 2: Ajay Maske and Dr. Goral Sonappa Dajiba in the
Research Article–:
Skill problems among engineering
graduates and its solutions: A burning need for Structural Changes states–
“A defined targeted training and
education only can provide the requisite knowledge, necessary skills and also
the behavioral skills of the engineers which are lacking among them. For this,
the stakeholder can play a vital role in providing Quality communicative skills
and generic skills to students.
7. 3: Emphasizing LSRW skills, Dr. Mitalee Shome in the article- English for
Engineering Students states:
“Professionalism means handling tasks with a dignified skilled manner. Being a good recipient with writing skills is also a part of good communicative skills. With the practice of effective communication skills, engineering students can improve their employability skills. Moreover, soft skills enable an engineer to deal with people from various countries to interact impressively with clients and colleagues confidently”.
7.4: Andreas, B., & Hiroshi, S. (2011) – Employability and skills set to newly
graduated engineers in India have explained –
“The
most demanding skill by the employers is communication in English.
Further adds - ...” Skill demands differ for
Professional Skills across economic sectors, company sizes, and regions. These
findings suggest that engineering education institutions should: (i) emphasize the improvement of the skill set of graduates to be given utmost importance;
(ii) Benefits of Soft Skills to be recognized, (iii) emphasize to be given
on the methodology of the teaching-learning process by analyzing and solving
engineering problems, as well as creativity; and (iv) sufficient interaction
with employers to understand the particular demand for skills in particular
region and sector.
Therefore, English being the language of the scientific age, to expand technical knowledge LSRW English skills have to be
given priority.
7.5: Urvashi
Kaushal in the Article - Empowering Engineering Students through
Employability Skills has explained –
“There is an urgent need for modification of
the curriculum to match the expectations of the industry and to bridge the gap
between the academic curriculum and industry needs. Soft skills need to be
given equal emphasis while developing the technical and hard skills of engineering students.
7.6: A. Clement, T. Murugavel- English for the Workplace: The
Importance of English Language Skills for Effective Performance states:
“In the 21st century, many research reports emphasize the interdependence between English and employability all over the world. The globalized market demands employees to have day-to-day business dealings and communication with executives from different parts of the language skills to have unambiguous and clear–cut transfer of information to all participants.
7.7: Sita and Rekha - Communication Skills & Regional
Dimensions: A Study on Engineering Students mentioned –
“The
fact that the poor communication skills of engineering students are basically
due to the mushrooming of substandard private technical institutions. Their
sole effort is to get their seats filled and thus in the process quality
education is totally ignored. This way students fail to be capable and
responsible engineers with a lack of interactive skills to contribute to the
building of the nation. In today’s competitive world, communication is an essential
tool for students, academics or professionals. So, based on the importance
of communication for technocrats, quality communication skill plays an
important role in the educational and professional world.
8. Observations
and Analysis:
Keeping in view the literature reviews and the
training sessions in the Diploma Engineering Course in good institutions, a
regular class on LSRW skills and soft skills can work miracles in providing
employment.
However, the survey on training classes through an
interactive session with the students of 6 no. of Diploma institutions with
quality education revealed a lack of sufficient training classes. The result
is that only a total of 20% of students of these 6 institutions taken together get
into jobs through campus drive and those with poor interactive skills fail to be
placed in placements.
The training classes on Role-play, Seminar
presentations, Project presentations, group discussions, Debate, and Extempore
speech, and the Life-skill classes are organized. However, the eagerness is displayed
by 20% of students and the other 80% show no self-interest in developing these
skills.
Because of this, there is a need to create a zeal in
these incapable and dull students through different kinds of activity-oriented
training classes to motivate and above all activate these students to create a
futuristic vision within them to be financially independent through campus
drives.
The present study aims to provide effective ways to develop the communicative abilities of the students.
With the development of LSRW skills, the English language will no longer be a nightmare for young technocrats. In the long run, the study will be helpful to educational institutions and students to meet the expectations of National Skill Development Corporation and above all the contribution of young minds in “Make in India”.
9. Conclusion:
The present study will surely pave towards various
research works and motivate dedicated engineers to come forward to a single
platform with sincere efforts to provide, encourage, and facilitate skill-based
learning in engineering institutions. The youth percentage of India is
the highest in the world every possible attempt needs to be undertaken to
develop the employability skills and soft skills in students pursuing diploma
engineering courses to meet the industry needs. Also, teaching methodology in
English can be a marvelous solution for better academic performance of students
and overall development of professional growth of a young technocrat with a Diploma Engineering Education.
Work Cited:
1) 1)Engineering students and
Communication in English with Recent Innovations
2) 2) Rycahaya Sri Hutomo- (PDF) The Importance of English for Engineering Students (researchgate.net)
3) 3) Senthamaria Thennavan - (PDF) English Communication Skills-A Prime Factor in Employability in India (researchgate.net
4) 4)Dr. Mitalee Shome - English for Engineering Students
http://www.englishexpertindia.com/services/teaching/english-for-engineering-students/
5) 5) Why English is important for Students?
https://www.languagelabsystem.com/why-is-english-important-for-students.
6)Urvashi Kaushal in the Article - Empowering Engineering Students through Employability Skills - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313654102_Empowering_Engineering_Students_through_Employability_Skills
7) A.Clement, T.Murugavel- (PDF) English for the Workplace: The Importance of English Language Skills for Effective Performance (researchgate.net
8) Sita and Rekha - Communication Skills & Regional Dimensions: A Study on Engineering Students https://www.google.com/search?q=communication+skills+and+regional+dimension
9) Rao. M. S (2010). Soft skills: Enhancing Employability: connecting Campus with corporate. New Delhi, I K. International Publishing House.
10) Rajesh Kumar and Dr. Anjali Srivastav - Teaching of English in India: Method and Material https://www.google.com/search?q=Teaching+of+English+in+India%3A+Method+and+Material
11) Renuka devi, D. (2013). Communicative English: Why it is
essential
to emerging engineers; The challenges and remedies.
Communicative English, Vol-3, Issue 2, Page 51 – 53
12) Riemer, M. J. (2007). Communication Skills for the 21st Century Engineer. Global Journal of Engineering Education, 11(1), 89-100
13) Dr. B. Neelambaram: English Language Communication Skills for Engineering Students Aspiring Minds National Employability Report-Engineers 2016 Aspiring Minds National Employability Report-Engineers 2016
14) Harvard Business Review
https://hbr.org/2012/05/global-business-speaks-english
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