Job Readiness Programme
Nobody marks a work email for grammar. They notice whether it was clear.
Students worry about their English. Employers more often notice something else: an email with no subject and no question in it, a call that wanders, a fresher who says nothing in a meeting and then misses the deadline. This session practises the communication work runs on, using everyday workplace situations rather than a grammar lesson.
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Clarity matters more than vocabulary.
Most workplace communication is short and practical: a request, an update, a question, a confirmation. What makes it work is structure — saying what you need, by when, and from whom — not elaborate language. A student with simple English and a clear structure is easier to work with than one with polished sentences and no point.
These habits are rarely taught in college, because college work is mostly individual and marked by a teacher. In a job, almost everything depends on other people understanding you the first time.
The situations it practises
34 topics across 7 areas. Seven things a fresher does in the first month. 6 apply to almost any business; the rest only in a particular case.
Writing an EmailPurpose first, detail after.6
“Hi, any update?” becomes “Could you confirm by Thursday whether the client wants the report in Excel or PDF? I will send it Friday either way.”
- A subject line that says what it is about
- The request or the point in the first two lines
- One topic per email
- Who goes in To, and who in Cc
- A polite, plain tone
- Reading it once as the recipient before sending
Work Chat and MessagingInformal does not mean careless.5
- When to use chat, and when email is better
- Acknowledging a message, even before you have the answer
- Respecting working hours
- Keeping group messages short and on topic
- Never sharing confidential information in personal apps
Phone and Video CallsHave a reason, and end with a next step.5
- Introducing yourself and the purpose in one sentence
- Having notes ready before you dial
- Writing down what was agreed
- Confirming it by email or message afterwards
- Joining video calls on time, muted, with a working camera
MeetingsBeing present is not the same as taking part.4
- Reading the agenda or asking what the meeting is for
- Saying one useful thing, even a question
- Noting the actions that are yours
- Sending a short summary when asked
Freshers are often silent for fear of saying something wrong. A good question is a contribution.
Giving an UpdateDone, next, stuck.4
- What has been finished
- What happens next, and by when
- What is blocking progress
- Bad news early rather than late
Asking for Help and Taking FeedbackTwo things that decide how a first year goes.5
- Trying first, and saying what you tried
- Asking a specific question
- Hearing a correction without arguing or apologising at length
- Checking you understood the feedback
- Coming back to show what changed
Group DiscussionIf it appliesStill used in some campus selection processes.5
- Listening before speaking
- Building on another person's point
- Disagreeing without attacking
- Bringing a quiet participant in
- Summarising at the end
Exercises in the session
- Rewriting a vague email into a clear one
- A two-minute update given in pairs
- A role-played call to confirm an interview time
- A short meeting, followed by a summary message
- A group discussion with an observer's notes
Habits worth keeping
- Confirm every important conversation in writing
- Reply within a working day, even if only to acknowledge
- Say when you are stuck, early
- Read before you send
- Ask what “done” looks like before you start
How the session runs
Short demonstrations followed by practice in pairs and small groups, using situations drawn from ordinary workplaces rather than textbook exercises. It is led by volunteers who work in HR, operations and team roles, and who comment on each exercise as it happens. Students can think aloud in whichever language they are most comfortable in before writing or speaking in English; the aim is clarity, not an accent.
What your students leave with
- An email that states its purpose in the first two lines
- A clear way to make and follow up a work phone call
- The habit of confirming a conversation in writing
- A two-minute status update: done, next, stuck
- A way to ask for help that people are glad to answer
- Practice speaking up in a meeting or group discussion
Scheduled sessions
Nothing scheduled yet
Sessions are arranged with a college once a date is agreed. Ask us and we will find the right person for it.
A student rather than a college? See what is coming up, or ask your placement team to host this.
Clear is better than impressive.
Tell us who your students are and what stage they are at. Sessions are free for participants.