Final-Year Projects (FYPs) within Malaysian TVET programs focus on technical skills in students but overlook vital communication skills for workplace preparedness. In this paper, FYP assessment rubrics from UTeM are analyzed and found to give slight emphasis on language ability—writing and presentation skills. Based on an analysis of rubrics, the paper identifies gaps and recommends cross-curricular integration strategies that align with CEFR and IR 4.0 requirements. The integration of communication into FYPs, achieved through transforming rubrics, inter-faculty cooperation, and incorporating industry feedback, can lead to more comprehensive graduate development and improved employability success in Malaysia's evolving technical education context.
Baethge, M. (2016). Dual education systems in Europe: Integrating communication competencies in vocational training. European Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 3(1), 55–68.
Billett, S. (2014). Learning through Work: Implications for Technical and Vocational Education. International Journal of Educational Research, 67, 1–9.
Grollmann, P. (2015). Vocational education and training in Europe: Challenges and opportunities for integrating communication skills. Vocational Education and Training Journal, 40(3), 115–128.
Kamaruzaman, M. F., Mohamad, M. M., Abdul Rahim, H., & Ismail, N. (2025). A systematic review on future TVET competencies in Malaysia: Implications for curriculum design. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(4), 89–103. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.4.
Lynch, K. (2017). The integration of soft skills in TVET curricula: A comparative study of Australia and Malaysia. Journal of Education and Work, 30(3), 220–235.
Maclean, R., & Wilson, D. (2013). Vocational education and training: Challenges and solutions in integrating communication and technical skills. International Journal of Training Research, 13(1), 56–68.
Malaysia Ministry of Education. (2015). Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025 (Higher Education). Ministry of Education Malaysia.
Miller, T., & Fox, R. (2017). Interdisciplinary teaching challenges in Malaysian technical education. Journal of TVET Pedagogy, 5(1), 43–58.
Mohd Khirulnizam, S., & Azwin Rahim, M. F. (2024). Enhancing Polytechnic Students' Oral Communication through an Online Task-Based Speaking Module. Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy, 12(1), 44–60. https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my /index.php/AJELP/article/view/9811
Muthusamy, K. (2018). Curriculum constraints in integrating communication skills into technical education: The Malaysian context. TVET Journal of Malaysia, 8(2), 35–48.
Noraini, H., Muliati, S., & Hazlen Niza, H. (2024). Decompartmentalization of TVET curriculum: Cross-curricular integration in Final Year Projects to address the language needs in TVET programs. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(3), 112–127. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i3/11918
OECD. (2017). The future of education and skills: Education 2030 – The future we want. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. https://www.oecd.org
Rajab, H., & Hamzah, A. (2020). Communication in Technical Education: Bridging the Soft Skills Gap in TVET Programs. Education and Training Journal, 60(5), 58–70.
Satchwell, C. (2016). Language, literacy and communication in vocational education: Learning at work. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 68(4), 389–407.
Suhaili, M. R., Razak, N. A., & Deni, S. K. (2025). TVET graduates: The importance of workplace English communication skills for effective work performance. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(2), 22–39. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i2/15152
Sudirman, M. A., Latif, S., & Hassan, N. (2017). Bridging soft skills in Malaysian TVET education: An early assessment. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 9(2), 18–27.
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). (2024, August 12). The Unsung Power of ESL in the TVET World. UTHM News. https://news.uthm.edu.my/en/2024/08/the-unsung-power-of-esl-in-the-tvet-world/
Varela, M.(2016). Innovative approaches to integrating communication skills into TVET. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 68(1), 22–39.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Zainuddin, N. (2019). Overcoming barriers to cross-curricular integration in technical education: The Malaysian perspective. TVET Journal of Malaysia, 7(2), 95–112.
Hakimi, H., Kamalrudin, M., & Abdullah, R. S. (2023). Software Security Readiness Model For Remote Working In Malaysian Public Sectors: Conceptual Framework. Journal Of Theoretical And Applied Information Technology, 101(8).
Veenoth, A., Shankarvelu, L., Hakimi, H., Marlia, Z., & Octaviani, D. (2023). Food Donation Application to Improve the Distribution and Verification Process Within Selangor: Feedback. Journal of Applied Technology and Innovation (e-ISSN: 2600-7304), 7(3), 7.
Abdullah, R. S., Hakimi, H., & Kamalrudin, M. (2024). Software Security Readiness Index for Remote Working Employee in Public Organization: Preliminary Study. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences.
Husin, N., Sedek, M., Sui, L. K. M., & Hakimi, H. (2025). Cross-Curricular Integration: Incorporating Language Competency Skills in Technical Students’ FYPs. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(9), 148–159.
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode