The aim of this study was to conduct an employer-focused language needs analysis, which offers diverse data on current English language needs in export industry companies in Eastern Finland. The main contribution of this study is providing information for developing the English language teaching in Karelia UAS to better match the needs of the current working life. This was achieved by examining the needs of the companies with the help of two
different variables: different situations of English use in the companies and different aspects of English language skills which are needed in the companies. The study is explorative by nature, so the main findings create a diverse and detailed picture of the language needs landscape of the export industry field in the region.
Some key themes that arose were the important role of internal communication as the reason for using English in various situations, the uniqueness of the needs and reasons for English use in the companies, and the effect of digitalization and globalization on the language needs and situations of language use in the companies. This encourages to allocate the English teaching in higher education to focus more on internal communication in situations, such as emails or meetings and negotiations, rather than focusing only on situations with potential customers or clients. Additionally, the use of different digital communication tools, such as tools for virtual meetings are becoming increasingly important and should be acknowledged in English teaching as well. Regarding different aspects of language skills, the results
emphasize the role of spoken communication and courage to use spoken English. The
importance of oral skills arose from the employees’ current lack of sufficient oral skills as well as the high perceived importance and intensity of the situations in which they are needed.
This suggests that the contents of English teaching in higher education should further
prioritize spoken language in goals, exercises and evaluation. Some of the other skills, such as reading or writing, were seen as sufficient and in no need of emphasis in education.
Additionally, occupational vocabulary was seen as skill which can be learned during
employment. This has strong implications for English teaching in higher education as well, which has traditionally relied heavily on occupational vocabulary.
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The essential contributions of the present study to the overall knowledge on English language needs in Finnish working life were the underlying themes, details and reasons behind the language needs discovered through qualitative analysis. Thus, future research should be directed into charting the English language needs of companies more extensively through qualitative research. Similar studies could be conducted in different fields of in different regions to complete the landscape of language needs in the Finnish working life. Additionally, as the present study examines the language needs from the perspective of the employers, a language needs analysis from the perspective of the employees in an otherwise similar setting could help in providing a more thorough picture of the English language needs in Eastern Finland. Furthermore, any of the trends that were emphasized in the results of the present study, such as digitalization, globalization or the increase in internal English communication, could benefit from future language needs studies directed straight at the issue.
Overall, the study provides new and important findings towards the field of sociolinguistics and applied linguistics. The study contributes to the picture on work-related use of English in Finland, more specifically in the field of export industry in Eastern Finland. The research offers a fresh insight into the changing landscape of language use, in which repeated studies are of great value. Additionally, the study fills a gap of qualitative research in the field, as the
previous studies have mainly focused on quantitively comparing the need for different languages, aspects language skills, or language situations. The qualitative approach uncovers many significant implications to language needs studies, such as the ambiguous nature of language use situations, or the high variability between companies or even positions.
Additionally, although the need for different skills might be similar between companies, the motivations and reasons behind the language needs may vary, furthermore shaping the needs to be quite different on a more detailed level. Moreover, the study provides an extensive amount of practical examples, models, details and information for Karelia UAS to help develop their English language teaching in their engineering and business programs. The information can be used to redirect the goals and contents of the language education, help in planning the curricula and course contents in language education, as well as provide
countless examples to help create authentic and current exercises that correspond with the needs of the regional working life. All in all, the study was successful, as it answered the set
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research questions extensively, and fulfilled the aims of broadening the knowledge on English use in Finnish working life, as well as providing practical use for the partner in cooperation, Karelia UAS, to develop language education to match the needs of working life.
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