OBE-BASED ENGLISH LEARNING AS A STRATEGY TO STRENGTHEN SOFT SKILLS AND EMPLOYABILITY IN THE ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS SECTOR

Abstract

The demands of today's developments require students to be able to compete in the labor market. This study aims to explore the implementation of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) in English learning as a strategy to strengthen students’ soft skills and employability in the economic and business sectors. This research explains what, why and how to apply the OBE strategy which is oriented towards students' abilities in developing their talents and interests. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, the research was conducted at university of Al-Falah Assunniyyah, Jember on economics sharia program. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with lecturers and students, classroom observations, and document analysis of the OBE-based course syllabus and lesson plans.  The learning process emphasizes project-based and case-based activities, such as business presentations, professional communication, and collaborative tasks. The findings indicate that OBE-based English learning effectively enhances communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and professional attitudes, which are essential for employability in the economic and business sector. The study concludes that English language learning based on OBE serves as an effective strategy to strengthen soft skills and employability, and it is recommended that higher education institutions enhance industry collaboration and provide continuous professional development for lecturers to optimize OBE implementation.