ASSESSING EMPLOYABILITY FACTORS IN ESP EDUCATION: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY FROM CHINA

Employment problem has increasingly become a concern in higher education in today’s economic situation. This study examines core questions about the employability of university graduates who major in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) like business English. To identify the critical competencies or skills needed for ESP graduates to succeed in China’s employment market today, the study builds a new employability framework based on audit tests and semi-structured interviews. Internship experience and business skills are highly valued in the workplace, according to the audit experiments, which evaluate the actual responses of possible employers. “English Skills,” “Business Skills,” and “Critical & Innovative Thinking” are among the major themes extracted from the interview notes coded by python. While less critical, self-learning and adaptability are still regarded as essential factors. The article offers practical recommendations that could enhance curriculum development in ESP education, aiming to narrow the gap between business requirements and academic preparation so that graduates could better meet labour market demands.