The job market for English majors in Vietnam today is not shrinking, but it is re-segmenting. The World Economic Forum projects that employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030. This is the real context for English majors: What skills do you stack on top of English so you remain employable as roles evolve?
- English is still valuable, but “English-only” is not enough
Vietnam’s English proficiency has improved into the moderate proficiency group in EF’s 2025 index, and local reporting notes a growing link between English proficiency and AI literacy as a strategic skill pair. Therefore, English is increasingly valuable when it helps you operate inside global systems, including AI tools, international teams, global clients, and English-dominant knowledge sources. For instance, credible research shows that translation and language tasks are among those being reshaped rapidly. If your plan is “I’ll translate documents”, you are entering a market where employers will ask: “Can you do this faster than AI?” What you need to do is to reposition toward work that AI cannot do alone, such as strategy, trust, context, and ethics.
- Employers are asking for: English + AI literacy + Human skills
AI literacy is one of the fastest-growing skills across regions. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 report digest echoes this: AI and big data and technology literacy are rising fast, alongside creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, curiosity, and lifelong learning. Besides, LinkedIn reporting repeatedly highlights communication and related human skills, including running meetings with agendas and action notes, writing emails that reduce confusion and speed up decisions, managing cross- cultural misunderstanding diplomatically, giving and receiving feedback without conflict, as highly demanded. Particularly, even when AI skills rise, communication remains a top employer need. So the market is not English and AI; it is the combination of English, AI, and human skills.
- Ready for a clear professional shape
Many English majors graduate with broad strengths but unclear professional positioning. You can fix this by choosing one primary direction and building a skill stack that signals job-readiness. For instance, you may combine English and digital communication. PR and communications functions are evolving toward strategic advisory and measurement, while adopting AI tools quickly. Or, you may learn to become an English Sales Enablement roles that combine English with relationship-building and problem ownership, which are harder to automate than script-based support.
In short, your advantage is not only that you know English. Your advantage is that English gives you access to global knowledge, global collaboration, and global tools. The market will reward you most when you combine English with a second layer: AI literacy, domain expertise, digital workflows, and human skills that build trust. So treat your degree as a launchpad. Choose a pathway, build a skill stack, and graduate with proof.
GV TBM PPGD