INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN ADMISSION SUCCESS AND CAREER READINESS IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

The purpose of the paper lies in analyzing the reasons for the mismatch between educational preparation and labor market requirements, justifying the importance of embedding the mastery of soft skills in foreign language learning at higher educational institutions, taking into account the current trends and expectations on the labor market, and sharing the experience of Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman. Methodology. This research aims to investigate the correlation between labour market expectations, career satisfaction, and successful language learning and career preparation in higher education. The study will address the following questions: What justifications exist for school leavers' reluctance to pursue further education? Why are contemporary employers seeking employees with soft skills? And, how may the gap between these issues be bridged? Thus, this paper is based on an analytical review of recent publications and statistical analysis of data obtained from a survey of school leavers. In addition, an inductive approach was used to create generalised theories and conclusions based on a small number of observations. The results of the survey confirmed expectations that the main reason for the significant mismatch between the needs of the labour market and students' unwillingness to spend time on acquiring professional knowledge at university is the lack of social skills in interpersonal communication, in other words, mastering soft skills. Practical implications. The experience of the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman was shared, illustrating the interactive methods used in the process of learning English.