In this episode of Tried and Tested, host Isabelle Gonthier sits down at ETS headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey with Ratnesh Kumar Jha, General Manager of Institutional Products at ETS, to explore how English language assessment is evolving for the workplace and beyond. Drawing on ETS’s mission and the global footprint of TOEIC, they unpack what it really means to measure language skills in an age of rapid change, AI, and lifelong learning.Ratnesh shares his journey from banking into education and assessment, and how that experience shapes his view of testing as a “signaling industry” for skills and employability. He and Isabelle discuss how TOEIC’s evidence-based design supports real-world communication at work, bridges academic study and employment, and helps employers benchmark roles, map career pathways, and support upskilling. From airlines and energy companies to retail and hospitality, they explore how language scores are used in high-stakes decisions and how technology is transforming item development, delivery, scoring, and feedback.Whether you’re leading a credentialing program, supporting university learners, designing assessments, or hiring global talent, this conversation offers a practical look at how language testing can unlock mobility, enable fair opportunities, and connect multilingual workforces in a fast-changing world.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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