PMAP launches research initiative to improve English standards

Hopkins International Partners Chairman Maria Montserrat Iturralde-Hamlin and General Manager Rex Wallen Tan with PMAP President Roberto Policarpio for the Memorandum Of Agreement Signing last April 29, 2015.

People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), in partnership with Hopkins International Partners, have agreed to conduct a research study to create a benchmark for English skills based on industry needs, starting with the hotel industry. In this study, free surveys and English assessments using the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) will be administered to participating companies. The CEFR is also being used by the European Union Countries (e.g. UK, France, Spain) and ASEAN neighbors (e.g. Vietnam, Thailand, Laos).

This project aims to set the hotel industry standard of English proficiency. Once established, these standards will be shared with schools and will help them implement clear guidelines (e.g. passing a test score/benchmark) instead of general guidelines (e.g. prepare students for industry required skills). Once aware of the English requirements of their dream industry and/or dream company, students will be motivated to improve their work competencies and become proficient in English.

Ms. Grace Abella Zata, a former PMAP President and current Hopkins director writes that “the majority of graduates fail at the first cut due to poor impact and communication skills” this excerpt is taken from the PMAP book “From the Hearth”. These findings were from a PMAP study in 1999 which was then confirmed again in 2006.

A more recent study in 2013 from the University of the Philippines by Dr. Erniel Barrios et al. concludes based on the data from BPAP that the largest talent-gap between industry and academe is still English proficiency and notes that “the supply-demand gap is quite large”.

According to a recent article by Rappler in April 2015 – Gisela Concepcion, vice president for academic affairs at the University of the Philippines, English proficiency in the country “has come down significantly” and is “deteriorating” specifically among students in public high schools and colleges.

This PMAP & Hopkins project aims to create a set of English standards that are based on industry requirements and global standards such as the CEFR and the TOEIC tests. With this, we would like to invite hotels in Metro Manila area to participate in this research study. For further information please contact PMAP at 726-1532. ADVT.