A CV can list skills. A degree can open doors. But if you can’t express yourself clearly in the interview or speak up once you’re hired, those doors close quietly behind you.

I’ve worked with smart, hardworking young professionals who check all the boxes on paper. Yet, they stay quiet in meetings, struggle to write with clarity or get passed over for opportunities because they come across as unsure — not because they are, but because they haven’t been taught how to express what they know.

This isn’t about grammar. It’s about confidence. And confidence doesn’t appear from anywhere. It comes from learning how to communicate in English clearly and confidently — in ways that feel natural, not rehearsed or hesitant.

3 challenges young professionals face:
1. They’re told to be professional but never shown what that sounds like.
2. They overthink every word for fear of being judged.
3. They confuse silence with safety.

If we want to build a workforce that can lead, collaborate and contribute, we need to start with the one skill that shapes every other: communication.

And for HR and L&D leaders: That confidence gap isn’t just a learner issue. It’s a business issue.

Let’s fix it