Phuket’s real estate and construction sectors have played a vital through tourism and foreign investment. As international stakeholders continue to influence the Phuket’s development, English communication has become a critical skill for professionals in these industries. However, limited English proficiency has hindered effective workplace communication and career progression among local employees. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to investigate the challenges faced by real estate and construction employees in using English communication in the workplace and to identify their needs for English skill development. The study employed a qualitative approach, collecting data through open-ended questionnaires from 100 employees across 20 top-performing real estate and construction companies in Phuket. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that major communication challenges included limited vocabulary, unfamiliar accents, and low speaking confidence. The most needed improvements were in listening, speaking, and real estate and construction terminology. The findings of this study can serve as a guideline for designing English training programs tailored to the real estate and construction employees. Training should emphasize adaptive learning approaches that address specific job functions and language needs. Such initiatives could enhance the global competitiveness of Phuket’s employees and contribute to more inclusive economic development in tourism regions.

Authors:
Netchanok Chanatong, Phuket Rajabhat University, Thailand

About the Presenter(s)
Mrs. Netchanok Chanatong is currently an English lecturer in the Department of English for Service Business at Phuket Rajabhat University in Phuket, Thailand.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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