ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY – CONNECTING SOFT AND HARD SKILLS

The article is focused on the role of English language proficiency
in the process of intercultural communication and professional
development in the world of jobs and professions. It is shown that
in the system of professional skills, which is traditionally divided
into “hard” (connected with professions and special functions that
employee performs) and “soft” ones (connected with
communicative and interpersonal skills) English language
proficiency performs a unique role in professional development
of modern employees form different spheres. Alongside with the
importance of the both types of skills there is a tendency with
growing demand for soft skills, which might be crucial in success
in career development. English language proficiency becomes an
essential skill in a number of jobs. A traditional look at English
language proficiency seen as “hard” skill of linguistic
professions, including translators, English language teachers, etc.
is being changed and undergoes the further process of
modification. The following situation is determined by a number
of factors with the major ones coming from the spheres of
technology and international communication. The first factor is
“communications revolution” (D. Gradoll), the second factor is
the growth of information with its rapid deterioration and
renovation. A complex of these highly interconnected factors
boosts dynamic changes in the world of jobs and professions,
which is marked by the international professional mobility, and
the necessity of life-long learning. In these circumstances due to
the need of employers and employees to update and enlarge
professional knowledge, English language proficiency becomes a
key characteristic of professional qualities not only for “white”
collars (employees traditionally engaged in managerial or clerical
positions) but also for the “blue” collar labour market segment
(professionals mostly connected with manual work). Still the
question about the place of English proficiency and its level is
under discussion. Due to the central idea of soft skills,
communicative skills build a core of it. It becomes evident that in
some jobs of the “blue” collar sector, English level proficiency
performs a linking role between hard and soft skills, and acquires
a tendency to the further raise of importance the both
communicative and cognitive skill in English language
proficiency. The other important question here deals with the
necessary level of English language proficiency. The description
of soft skills points out the key idea of achieving communicative
and interactive result. The comparison of descriptors of CEFR
and the essential indicators of soft skills shows that the ground
for efficiency is dependable on the level. Efficient
communication and interaction start with the level B. The
questions discussed in the article cover some primary points of
the problem, and are aimed at further continuation and research
on the question. Thus there appears a vast field for the further
research in linguistics, intercultural communication, pedagogy,
management. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to point out a
key and linking role of English in the complex of professional
skills of professionals of different segments and spheres of labour
market. Methods: literature research, analysis, interpretation,
reasoning. Conclusions: the article shows that proficiency in
English being essential in the system of professional skills of
representatives of the modern “white” collar and “blue” collar
segments performs a linking role between soft and hard skills in
professional competence, still it’s becoming more evident that
there appearing more jobs and occupations where English
language proficiency becomes a hard skill. This happens due to
the dynamic changes in data production, its permanent
deterioration and necessity in updating. The positions mentioned
above open new questions to further studies in management,
linguistics, intercultural communication, pedagogy in direction of
developing new ways of learning the language as an instrument
of cognition and communication.
Keywords: the English language proficiency, soft skills, hard
skills, link, white collar sector, blue collar sector