Speech skills as a component of professional mobility of higher education graduates

Abstract

Speech skills today function not only as a tool of interpersonal interaction but also as a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring the professional mobility of higher education graduates entering an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable labour market. In the context of globalisation, digital transformation, and the growing complexity of professional communication, mastery of spoken and written language becomes a key factor influencing the adaptability, competitiveness, and long-term professional development of young specialists. The article examines how the ability to construct coherent utterances, formulate arguments, and adjust communicative strategies in accordance with situational and disciplinary requirements directly affects a graduate's capacity to navigate organisational changes, assume new professional roles, and maintain effective collaboration within interdisciplinary teams. Particular attention is given to the multidimensional nature of professional discourse competence, which includes rhetorical culture, argumentation literacy, stylistic flexibility, and pragmatic sensitivity in face-to-face and virtual communication settings. The study analyses the mechanisms through which speech practices contribute to the development of soft skills, facilitate successful integration into professional communities, and support continuous learning throughout a specialist's career. The article also highlights the role of digital communication norms, multimodal literacy, and the ability to operate within polycode information environments, which increasingly shape modern professional interaction. The research incorporates an extended overview of contemporary scholarly approaches to communicative competence in the professional formation of students, focusing on both classical linguistic theories and current interdisciplinary studies.

Key words: speech skills; professional mobility; communicative competence; rhetoric; professional discourse.