Aligning Education with Career Prospects: English Department Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Employability and Skills Development at University of Tripoli

Abstract

Libyan English language graduates experience a critical phase as they shift from lecture halls to the workforce. They often find themselves possessing solid theoretical knowledge; however, they have limited practical skills needed in the modern workplace (Tantoush & Hmedan, 2018; Shaheebah, 2023). This paper investigates undergraduate students’ views of employability and skill development at the English Language Department, University of Tripoli. It mainly focuses on undergraduate students’ career awareness, attitudes towards the current academic program, and self‑assessed development of key soft skills required for professional life. Adopting the mixed‑methods approach, data were collected from 110 undergraduate students. A structured questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students, complemented by semi‑structured interviews with selected graduates, to draw reliable and credible data. The study is exploratory in nature and attempts to shed light on an area that has not been sufficiently investigated, as previous scholarship explored mainly employers’ and educators’ views rather than students themselves. The findings of the study reveal that most undergraduate students possess clear career prospects, namely in teaching, business, and public relations; however, as they advance in their academic journey, they begin to experience self‑doubt and confusion regarding their employability and the development of essential practical skills for their professional life. The current program offers limited opportunities for developing soft skills, practical experience, and professional competencies. Based on these results, the study recommends the urgent need to align curriculum design with labor market requirements by integrating career‑oriented modules, project‑based learning, internship opportunities, and soft skills development into academic programs.