Economics of English: Examining the Demand for English Proficiency in the Vietnamese Job Market

Abstract

Located in the economics of language, the present study seeks to contribute towards understanding the Vietnamese job market’s demand for competency in using English. The globalization of English and the global flow of capital are factors that are changing the linguistic landscape of the world of work. However, there has been limited research on the changing role of English in the job market, particularly in developing societies. An understanding of the labour market’s demand that candidates are proficient in English is critical given that language educators are under pressure to meet industry demands and prepare graduates for the world of work. Against this background, we investigated the demand for English proficency in the Vietnamese labour market by examining two samples of job advertisements. The advertisements were published in 2015 and 2018 on a popular job website. Based on our analysis, we attest to the growing importance of English and to higher levels of English proficiency demands, although these demands varied across job sectors. We suggest implications for educators, policy makers, job seekers, employers and researchers.