From learning to workforce readiness: Building English communication skills
For organizations navigating an increasingly global, digital, and fast-moving economy, one capability continues to sit at the center of workforce readiness: the ability to communicate effectively in English.
New data from the 2025 TOEIC® Listening and Reading Report on Test Takers Worldwide shows that learners around the world are continuing to develop their English language skills, often well before fully entering the workforce.
Building skills ahead of workforce entry
Many learners are committing to English development long before they fully enter the workplace. In fact, 75% of TOEIC listening and reading test takers report studying English for more than six years.
A large proportion are still students or early in their careers, building skills that will support professional development and international collaboration.
For employers, this suggests a growing pipeline of talent preparing to enter a global workforce, equipping themselves with the language skills needed to collaborate, communicate and perform in international environments.
Employability is shifting from knowledge to performance
English proficiency continues to play an important role in hiring and career progression. 28% of test takers take TOEIC listening and reading tests for job application purposes, underscoring the relevance of English communication skills in recruitment and professional development.
- Many employers are looking beyond basic comprehension skills and seeking to understand whether candidates can communicate in workplace settings. This includes the ability to: Communicate clearly and confidently
- Collaborate across teams and cultures
- Participate in workplace discussions and business interactions
- Contribute in global, English-speaking environments
The findings suggest that learners are increasingly preparing for practical communication demands, rather than focusing purely on academic language development.
The rise of full communication skills
The report also highlights the continued emphasis on all four language skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
A significant proportion of test takers say they focus on all four skills as part of their English development.
This integrated approach is linked to higher overall proficiency scores compared with those focusing on individual or paired skills.
These findings show that learners are preparing for a wide variety of real-world communication situations. They are developing the ability to:
- Interpret and analyze information
- Express ideas clearly in speech and writing
- Collaborate across cultures and contexts
- Communicate effectively in dynamic environments
In short, communication, not just comprehension, is becoming the standard of proficiency.
Applying communication skills in the workplace
Even with years of study, many learners are still building confidence in applying English in professional communication settings. More than one-third report that English difficulty continues to affect their ability to communicate effectively.
Importantly, this pattern has remained consistent year over year, showing that many learners continue developing confidence as they move into professional settings.
The demand for applied communication skills across a wide range of workplace settings is only increasing:
- Distributed teams rely on clear, real-time collaboration
- Cross-border work requires linguistic and cultural agility
- Professional roles demand both written and verbal fluency
English is a core capability that enables participation in the global economy.
Strengthening the global talent pipeline
For organizations, educators and policymakers, the findings highlight the importance of supporting learners as they transition from education into employment with the skills needed to succeed.
This requires a continued focus on:
- Assessment that reflects practical communication needs
- Learning that develops all four language skills in context
- Application opportunities that reinforce practical use
By aligning these elements, stakeholders can help ensure that learners enter the workforce not just proficient in English, but ready to perform with it.
Final thought
The global workforce is not facing a lack of English learning, it is progressing through a critical stage of preparation. The 2025 data suggests that learners continue to place growing emphasis on developing communication skills that can be applied confidently in workplace settings. Learners around the world are actively building the communication skills required for the modern workplace and the shift toward full, real-world proficiency is already underway.