Examining the Relationship Between TOEIC Scores and Employability Outcomes of Filipino Graduates

This study investigated the correlation between TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) scores, aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), on the employability and workplace performance of recent graduates from higher education institutions in Bulacan, Philippines.Utilizing a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design, the research combined quantitative data from 50 TOEIC-certified graduates with qualitative insights from 10 of their employers.Quantitative findings revealed a clear positive correlation between higher English proficiency and key employment outcomes, such as faster job placement, a greater number of job offers, and higher self-perceived employability; particularly, a 0.86 Pearson r correlation between TOEIC scores and self-perceived employability.Graduates with C1 CEFR-level scores secured employment more rapidly and received significantly more job offers than their A1-level counterparts.Qualitative data, analyzed thematically, further revealed that C1-level employees exhibited strong communication competence, adaptability, and professionalism, whereas A1-level employees, although behaviorally competent, displayed limited verbal engagement and required more support in adapting to new tasks or tools.Across both groups, workplace behavior was consistently positive, highlighting that language proficiency did not influence work ethic.These findings reinforce the role of English language proficiency as a decisive employability factor and affirm the relevance of CEFR and TOEIC.The study recommends a stronger integration of CEFR-aligned language instruction in higher education curricula and greater collaboration between academic institutions and industry stakeholders.Delimitations of the study include its geographic and sample size constraints, suggesting directions for future research that could further contextualize language proficiency within diverse employment environments.