In order for engineers to be successful in their jobs, all companies require English skills related to engineering and IT work. If you want to be successful as an engineer in your job, what level of English should you aim to acquire? In this article, we will explain the English level required of engineers, the reasons why engineers need a certain level of English skills, and how to study English.

If you are an engineer who wants to make the most of your English skills, we recommend that you look for a job on “G Talent”, a job-placement service specializing in global IT recruitment. Use this article as a reference to acquire the level of English skills required of engineers, and improve your annual income and career as an engineer.

The level of English skills required for engineering work

English skills are required of engineers, but what level of English is needed? In this article, we will explain the level of English skills required for engineering work, based on the following points.

• English comprehension at the level of an engineer is necessary for any company
• Many companies require English skills equivalent to the third grade of the EIKEN test
• To acquire business English, aim for a TOEIC score of 700 or above

The level of English proficiency required differs depending on the company and your position. We will explain the level required for foreign engineers who want to work for a wide range of Japanese companies, so please refer to this.

English comprehension at the level of an engineer is necessary for any company

There are companies in Japan that have set English as their official in-house language and accept many foreign engineers, but even if you don't work for such an IT company, you will still need to understand English related to engineering work. As there is a possibility that you will use English words related to engineering in your work, you should at least understand the minimum amount of English related to IT terminology and the industry. Even if you are not good at English, if you can understand the words, there are cases where it will not hinder your work.

Reference: エンジニアに英語力は必要か？需要と効率的な勉強法を紹介！／案件ナビ

Many companies require English skills equivalent to the third grade of the EIKEN test

The minimum English level required for working as a foreign engineer in the Japanese IT industry is the third grade of the EIKEN test. The third grade of the EIKEN test can be obtained if you understand the English you learn at junior high school. In order to obtain the third grade of the EIKEN test, you must take a written test as well as an interview test. Since it is difficult to prove your English ability, obtaining an EIKEN certificate is a useful way to demonstrate your English ability.

Reference: エンジニアに必要な英語力は？IT業界のTOEIC平均や勉強法も紹介！／Career-first

To acquire business English, aim for a TOEIC score of 700 or above

In global companies, there is a high possibility of career advancement if you can speak business English. If you want to acquire business English, aim for a TOEIC score of 700 or more. By acquiring business English, you will be able to communicate fluently when meeting with overseas customers or foreign IT engineers who have come to work in Japan from another country.

According to the Association for International Business Communication, the average score for Japanese test-takers of the TOEIC Listening & Reading test in 2021 was 574 points. So although the TOEIC 700 mark may seem like a high hurdle, why not give it a try for the sake of your career?

Reference: TOEIC700点で一流ビジネスマンへの道を切り開く！ 英語力はキャリアアップの最短ルート／ENGLEAD

Why a certain level of English is necessary for engineering work

There are four reasons why a certain level of English is necessary for engineering work.

• Programming languages are based on English
• The number of companies with a multinational workforce is increasing
• There are opportunities to work with overseas engineers
• The latest information is disseminated in English
   

Programming languages are based on English

The programming languages that are essential for engineers' work are based on English. One of the reasons why you should understand English is that, by acquiring English skills, you can learn programming by linking it to the meanings of English words, rather than just memorizing programming languages. This not only reduces coding errors and improves work efficiency, but also makes it easier to deal with bugs and other problems.

Reference: プログラミングで必要な英語力とは／DMM WEBCAMP

The number of companies with a multinational workforce is increasing

In the Japanese IT industry, the movement to hire foreign engineers is accelerating due to a shortage of Japanese workers and delays in IT education. As there are engineers from various countries such as China, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States, many companies are inevitably English-speaking environments. In some IT companies, English is the official language of the company, so in IT companies with a multinational workforce, English communication skills are necessary.

Reference: 日本企業における外国人エンジニアの市場価値は？求人の探し方も紹介／G Talent Blog

There are opportunities to work with overseas engineers

In recent years, due to the popularity of offshore development, there has been an increase in the outsourcing of programming to overseas countries such as Vietnam. In such cases, you will have to communicate with overseas engineers. When communicating with overseas engineers without using the local language or Japanese, you will often have to use English, so English skills are essential when working with overseas engineers.

Reference: ベトナムがオフショア開発で人気の理由とは？委託先の選定ポイントも／VNEXT

The latest information is disseminated in English

As IT technology is being developed around the world and the core of IT companies is located in English-speaking countries, the latest information is often disseminated in English in the IT industry. Therefore, if you cannot understand English, you may not be able to catch the latest information quickly. In order to quickly grasp the latest information in IT, you should acquire English skills.

Reference: エンジニアなら読んでおきたい海外の開発ブログ・メディア14選／レバテックキャリア

A guide to the level of English proficiency required for an engineer's job

Up to this point, we have been introducing the relationship between an engineer's job and English, but from here we will explain the level of English proficiency required for an engineer's job, divided into EIKEN and TOEIC.

EIKEN

In the case of EIKEN, the minimum level is at least EIKEN Level 3. EIKEN Level 3 can be passed with English ability equivalent to the level of a junior high school graduate, so the hurdle is not that high.

If you want to acquire business-level English skills, the benchmark is to obtain at least Pre-1st Grade in the EIKEN test. If you are applying for a job at a foreign-affiliated company, you will be able to list Pre-1st Grade in the EIKEN test on your resume and use it to your advantage. Pre-2nd Grade to 2nd Grade in the EIKEN test is the benchmark for acquiring English skills at the level of everyday conversation.

Reference: ビジネスレベルの英語力とはどの程度？TOEICや英検スコアで比較／English With

TOEIC

The benchmark score for TOEIC is 600 to 700 points or more. A score of 700 or more is a good benchmark for acquiring business English, so if you want to learn business English, aim for 700 points. If you can speak business English, you will have more opportunities to get involved in projects with overseas companies and to be posted overseas, which will be a plus for your career.

Companies that have made English their official in-house language may require a higher TOEIC score. The required TOEIC score will vary depending on the company and job type you are applying for, so be careful. For example, Rakuten, Inc. requires a TOEIC score of 800 or above for mid-career hires for executive positions.

Study methods for acquiring the English skills needed for an engineering job

Even engineers with low English skills can acquire English skills through study. The following four points are recommended methods for acquiring English skills.

• Learn the basics of English study with a textbook
• Read English-language media
• Use an English conversation school
• Watch English videos

Learn the basics of English study with a textbook

If you have no English basics, start by studying the basics of English. To acquire English basics, we recommend using a textbook. With textbooks, you can read and review the material over and over again, so you can study it as many times as it takes to master the basics. Using textbooks that collect English expressions and vocabulary commonly used by IT industry professionals and engineers, you can learn English expressions used in the workplace quickly and efficiently.

Reference: 「いろんな本で英語を勉強する」or 「同じ本を何度も繰り返す」【どっちが効果アリ？】／ピマログ

Read English-language media

If you want to learn English that you can use at work, we recommend using English-language media. By reading English newspapers and other media published online, you can learn native English that you can use at work and other situations. English newspapers and online news are also a good way to gather information, as you can catch up on the latest trends around the world and information that is hard to come by in Japan or your home country.

Reference: 情報収集しながらリーディングスキルが身につく？！英語学習に最適な海外メディア20選／MoneyForward Bizpedia

Use an English conversation school

By attending an English conversation school, you can practice speaking with native English-speaking teachers. Nowadays, there are also online English conversation schools, so you can take lessons without being too restricted by time or location. English conversation schools offer a variety of courses and levels, so it is important to choose a lesson that suits you.

Reference: 英会話教室に効果はある？自分に合った効果的な勉強法の見つけ方も／ECC外語学院

Watch English videos

If you want to learn English in a fun way, make use of English videos. Watching foreign films and YouTube videos is a great way to practice listening to English and get used to the sounds of the language. You can also gradually practice so that you can understand the same film or video without subtitles after watching it a few times. Movies and videos are a great way to learn English expressions that you use in everyday life, so they are recommended for those who want to improve their speaking ability. One of the great things about them is that you can learn without feeling self-conscious during your spare time, such as when you're on the move.

The level of English proficiency required for an engineer's job differs depending on the company

In this article, we have explained the level of English proficiency required for engineers. The level of English proficiency required differs depending on the company and position, but if you are working in Japan as a foreign IT engineer, it is a good idea to acquire English proficiency equivalent to Level 3 of the EIKEN test at the very least. In order to acquire business-level English, we recommend that you aim to achieve a TOEIC score of 700 points.

Depending on your level of English, you may be able to take on more work, and you may even get the chance to participate in overseas projects or be posted overseas. Use the information in this article as a reference, and learn in a way that suits you to acquire the English skills you need.

If you are looking for a job that makes use of your English skills, we recommend the job-placement agency for foreign IT engineers, “G Talent”. They support the job hunting and career change activities of foreign IT engineers who want to work in Japan, and their bilingual consultants, who have a wealth of IT knowledge, help match engineers with companies that are actively hiring foreign engineers and job openings. If you want to acquire the English skills you need to work in Japan as an IT engineer and start your career in Japan as a foreign IT worker, please be sure to register with G Talent.