Sustainable Development of Soft Skills with the Purpose of Enhancing the Employability of Engineering Students

Comments 1: How traditional English learning competes with the use of AI by students.

Response 1: Thank you for pointing this out. AI is indeed one of the driving forces behind the learning-teaching methodology revolution changing traditional learning completely. The authors of the present article teach ESP 5 days a week and we do agree that AI has created new pedagogical conditions. This topic is outside the scope of our present research, but the topic will be covered in our articles later. Thanks a lot for the idea to research the peculiarities of the influence of Artificial Intelligence technology on English language learning.

Comments 2: Show some experiences worldwide on the manuscript´s topic. East Asian countries have extensive experience adopting English as a professional development language.

Response 2:

According to your recommendation, we have rewritten the Introduction section and shifted the focus in the third paragraph (lines 52-57, highlighted in yellow in the text). In the body of the article, it looks like this:

“Soft skills and a good command of English are cross-cutting across jobs and serve globally as a career lift. English is viewed as an essential tool of international and scientific collaboration. East Asian countries have extensive experience adopting English as a professional development language. English is the official language of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations forums, and maritime agreements [6]”.

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 3: Review the Tables. Review the use of commas to separate decimals. Translate the entire table. Are there parts in another language (Russian?)? Why are there values ​​in red? What is the meaning?

Response 3: According to your comment, we have analysed and corrected the Results section. All commas have been changed into points as the decimal separator in the decimal numbers in the tables in order to follow the rules. No Russian language can be found anywhere in the tables now. Statistically significant differences have been highlighted in red. These data supported our findings and conclusions.

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 4: It is suggested that specific comments from the students included in this study be shown.

Response 4: We have added students’ comments (lines 345-34, highlighted in yellow in the text). In the body of the article, it looks like this:

“The experimental group students found the ways of soft and foreign language skills simultaneous development rather useful for their future work in the mineral resource sector. We received the following feedback: “You’ll become a more rounded engineer after completing the ESP course”, “We have made ourselves more attractive to employers”, “Technical skills alone are no longer sufficient for many employers”.

Furthermore, we have rewritten and restructured the Results section highlighting our findings in the way like this:

3.1. Outcome 1: identification of the soft skills maximising career success of engineering students

3.2 Outcome 2: the ESP course design and validation

Comments 5: All Appendix figures must be in Supporting Information.

We have deleted Appendices B and D completely and contracted A and B to 4 images illustrating the changes in the soft skills of engineering students of the control and experimental groups before and after the experiment. Appendix figures are in Supporting Information.

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 6 Check the references; more than 50% are lower than in 2020.

Response 6:

We have added some latest references viz.

1. Rajabzadeh, A.R.; Long, J.; Saini, G.; Zeadin, M. Engineering Student Experiences of Group Work. Educ. Sci. 2022, 12, 288. https:// doi.org/10.3390/educsci12050288

2. Hirudayaraj, M.; Baker, R.; Baker, F.; Eastman, M. Soft Skills for Entry-Level Engineers: What Employers Want. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 641. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci11100641

3. Dahl, T. M., Grieger, K., Miller, S., & Nyachwaya, J. (2025). Exploring the Nature and Role of Students’ Peer-to-Peer Questions During an In-Class Collaborative Activity. Education Sciences, 15(2), 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci15020229

4. Qi, X., & Chen, Z. (2025). A Systematic Review of Technology Integration in Developing L2 Pragmatic Competence. Education Sciences, 15(2), 172. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/educsci15020172

5. Kolmos, A., Holgaard, J. E., & Routhe, H. W. (2025). Understanding and Designing Variation in Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Projects in Engineering Education. Education Sciences, 15(2), 138. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/educsci15020138

These references have been highlighted in green.

Besides, we changed some old literature sources for those of 2022-2025 in the Reference list.

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 1: A document with a very interesting theme, especially for those of us who are interested in the well-being and the projection of our students.

In the future, when the document has been published, I would like to contact the authors to learn more about the course program, and the details of the activities carried out to evaluate the possibility of replicating it at our university with engineering students.

Response 1: We'd like to thank you for your comment. We are ready to share our experience in this field and provide all kinds of support.

Comments 2: Within the text, they are using two different types of bibliographical references (through numbers and through the author). This can be done, but in this case, when the author is mentioned, the number in which the reference is should also be included.

Response 2:

Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. We have, accordingly, revised and modified the manuscript regarding bibliographical references. In the body of the article, it looks like this:

“of Pintrich, and Yorke and Knight [35, 36] (lines 150-151).

Zyberaj J. and other researchers focus on motivation in career development learning and students' professional plans during a Pandemic [28-30] (lines 105-107).

Syrkov A. states that when students believe their goals are important, they will experience higher motivation [21] (lines 100-102).

We enhanced the results gained by Ramisetty J. and employed two methods to evaluate employability skills development [55].”

The corresponding corrections have been highlighted in green. Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 3: In chapter 2, it talks about learning styles. I don't know exactly what specific theory they are referring to, so this should have bibliographical references as well. If the term learning styles refers to Howard Gardner's theory, these have already been debated and discarded in several scientific documents. No results are shown in the document for this evaluation, and it is not mentioned later in the document, only a brief mention in the results chapter. It clarifies which learning styles are being referred to and what was being assessed.

Response 3:

We'd like to thank you for your useful comment. You have helped us a lot suggesting a new way of the ESP course improvement. Each student is indeed endowed with a specific way of understanding and grasping information. Recognizing a students’ learning style is crucial for fostering their development. For the purpose of our research we have not evaluated any learning styles as the article is focused on enhancing employability.

Comments 4: The information in Table 2 is quite useful and clear. It provides a lot of clarity and ease for the reader.

Response 4:

We'd like to thank you for your comment.

Comments 5: The references corresponding to the CAAS factors are missing.

We'd like to thank you for your useful comment. There was one reference regarding the CAAS factors (lines 690, 240, 212):

43. Porfeli, E.J., Savickas, M.L. Career Adapt-Abilities Scale –USA form: psychometric properties and relation to vocational identity. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2012, 80, 748–753.

We have highlighted it in green. Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

We have added one more reference corresponding to the CAAS factors (line 687, 209):

42. Parola, A., Marcionetti, J. & Savickas, M. Psychometric properties of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale in Italian young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET). Int J Educ Vocat Guidance (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-023-09604-z

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 5: Figure 1 should be corrected; it is not clear in its visualization.

Response 5:

We'd like to thank you for your comment. We have improved Figure 1 (line 268-269). It has become an image. Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Figure 1

Comments 6: Improve or change the presentation of tables 9, 10, 11, and 12.

Response 6:

We'd like to thank you for your comment. We agree with this comment. Therefore, we have improved tables 9, 10, 11, and 12.

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 7: The presentation of the tables should be much neater, since there are still many words in Russian. This further reinforces my observation that the presentation of these tables and the results should be improved. I reiterate that both the tables and the results (in text) should improve their presentation, since, by trying to be very detailed, the reader gets lost in their reading and understanding. The most relevant should be highlighted and the presentation should be changed considerably.

Response 7:

We'd like to thank you for your comment. We do agree. We have done our best to make results in the tables clearer. We have deleted Appendices B and D completely and contracted A and B to 4 images illustrating the changes in the soft skills of engineering students of the control and experimental groups before and after the experiment.

No Russian language can be found anywhere in the tables now. Statistically significant differences have been highlighted in red in the body of the article. These data supported our findings and conclusions.

4. Response to Comments on the Quality of English Language

Point 1: The English is fine and does not require any improvement.

Response 1: We'd like to thank you for your comment.

5. Additional clarifications

Not needed

Comments 1: There is no need to include statistical analysis techniques in the abstract section of the study. Analysis techniques can be removed from the abstract section..

Response 1: We'd like to thank you for your comment. The statistical analysis techniques have been deleted from the abstract section (lines 20-22). Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 2: It is recommended that the introduction section be reviewed and detailed. The problem situation should be discussed in more detail. The theoretical dimension should be developed by adding the title 1.1. Theoretical Framework to the article.

Response 2:

Dear Reviewer,

We'd like to thank you for your useful comment. We have, accordingly, revised and modified the introduction section. There are 2 subheadings within the Introduction section now.

In the body of the article, it looks like this:

1.1 Theoretical Framework

1.2 Research Questions

According to your comments, we have specified the problem situation (lines 31-42; 43-46; 52; 68; 82-85; 92-94; 104-107). The corresponding corrections have been highlighted in green.

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

Comments 3: The basis on which the participants were selected should be explained in more detail. More detailed information about the demographic characteristics of the participants can also be provided. The importance of the study and its contribution to the field should be clearly stated.

Response 3: Dear Reviewer,

We'd like to thank you for your useful comment. The only one criterion has been used – the students’ proficiency in English (B1 level in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). It should be pointed out that in this study we did not take into account the gender of students either when dividing them into the control and experimental groups, or when making calculations; the gender as well as age is mentioned for reference only (lines 159-169). We have faced a problem with publishing previous articles when age and other personal/demographic characteristics were given. To avoid conflict of interest and violating the rules of human studies and ethics, we did not focus or include this data.

We have rewritten the manuscript and highlighted the importance of the study and its contribution to the field (119-124). The corresponding corrections have been highlighted in green. Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript. In the body of the article, it looks like this:

“In this context the results from the present research contributed both to the professionalization of would-be engineers. This project developed an ESP course allowing development of employability of engineering students. Based on the data we collected, we identified the skills that graduates are lacking and the skills that are adequately addressed in the current curriculum. The identified soft skills including social and personal ones lay the foundation of the ESP course proposed framework”.

Comments 4: The data collection process and procedure in the study, as well as ethical processes, should be explained in detail. In addition, the validity and reliability analyses of the obtained data should be detailed.

Response 4:

Dear Reviewer,

We'd like to thank you for your comment. During the educational experiment, engineering students of the control group were taught under a traditional approach, through classical learning and teaching aids; while, engineering students of the experimental group were provided with some extra classes of the ESP course designed in addition to other available classical educational methods and learning aids.

We have validated the results of the study with the help of the following methods: Career Adapt-Abilities Scale and Johari Window questionnaire (lines 206-210).  Mann–Whitney Z-test and the Wilcoxon Z-criterion for correlated samples, sample means, standard deviations, medians, first and third quartiles were used to process the data received (lines 329- 466). The results illustrating the changes in the soft skills of engineering students of the control and experimental groups before and after the experiment are provided in Appendices and supporting materials.

As for the data collection, standard placement test and needs analysis test were used. As such tests have been in continuous use for decades, we decided not to overload the readers with excessive information. Moreover, the focus of the paper is on enhancing employability.

Comments 5: Each finding obtained in the findings section should be interpreted in more detail. In addition, I believe that the discussion section is weak in the study. The discussion section should be developed and each result obtained should be further supported with relevant research. More sources should be added from the years 2023, 2024 and 2025. In particular, the results obtained should be further supported with current research results.

Response 5:

We have added some latest references viz.

1. Rajabzadeh, A.R.; Long, J.; Saini, G.; Zeadin, M. Engineering Student Experiences of Group Work. Educ. Sci. 2022, 12, 288. https:// doi.org/10.3390/educsci12050288

2. Hirudayaraj, M.; Baker, R.; Baker, F.; Eastman, M. Soft Skills for Entry-Level Engineers: What Employers Want. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 641. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci11100641

3. Dahl, T. M., Grieger, K., Miller, S., & Nyachwaya, J. (2025). Exploring the Nature and Role of Students’ Peer-to-Peer Questions During an In-Class Collaborative Activity. Education Sciences, 15(2), 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci15020229

4. Qi, X., & Chen, Z. (2025). A Systematic Review of Technology Integration in Developing L2 Pragmatic Competence. Education Sciences, 15(2), 172. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/educsci15020172

5. Kolmos, A., Holgaard, J. E., & Routhe, H. W. (2025). Understanding and Designing Variation in Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Projects in Engineering Education. Education Sciences, 15(2), 138. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/educsci15020138

These references have been highlighted in green.

Besides, we changed some old literature sources for those of 2022-2025 in the Reference list.

Please find attached the re-submitted manuscript.

The discussion section has been developed:

As for a teaching-learning environment for the future engineers to be effective, students were engaged in various activities throughout the English class that stimulated their minds and emotions, and inspired them to work independently.

Our research highlights the role of the ESP in promoting the development of competences for employability and agrees with the findings in [45]. But the development of soft skills is not viewed as a goal in their research.

The Diagnostic Test, CAAS papers and Johari Window Perspectives tests indicated that students were satisfied with both the level of English and soft skills possessed. The students have appeared content with the perceived level of their teamwork, public speaking, self-regulation and personal management abilities at the ESP course graduation. Nonetheless, there may some ways of additional development in the areas of creativity as well as the capacity to resolve conflicts. This result seems to be in line with some past findings that suggest that the capacity of the conflict management and adapting to changes was lower than expected [46]. However, it must also be noted that none of the soft skills were scored ‘strongly agree’ on a 5-point Likert-type scale by the experimental group students that coincided with results in [47, 48]. Consequently, there is room for continuous improvement.

To detail the findings section we added the feedback received from students after the experiment. We believe that first-hand information is convincing.

“In the feedback the students gave they stressed that they had become aware of the importance of soft skills. Before they couldn’t imagine that the role of soft skills could be as relevant as that of professional skills in terms of employability enhancement.

The experimental group students found the ways of soft and foreign language skills simultaneous development rather useful for their future work in the mineral resource sector. We received the following feedback: “You’ll become better adaptable and ready for changes after completing the ESP course”, “We have made ourselves more attractive to employers”, “Technical skills alone are no longer sufficient for many employers”.