Languages and careers
Making Languages Work
Languages Work is a project funded by the DfES under the National Languages Strategy. New promotional materials and information have been created to get the essential messages across about languages and careers from age 13 upwards. Careers information providing profiles of people working in many different industries with languages are available on the site.
Three Key Messages
Today more than ever we need languages as technology makes instantaneous communication an everyday occurrence. Businesses of all sizes are responding to this challenge by learning to speak their customers' language.
Languages Work highlights three key messages which show the true value of languages in the workplace.
- A little language can make a lot of difference
- English is not enough
- Languages improve the quality of your life
Information contained in this careers area of the site will guide you further as you discover how languages can help you shape your future.
Click here to download Languages Work factsheets which expand on these messages.
What do you want to do with your languages?
You can choose to join a specialist linguist occupation like translation - where language is absolutely central to the role - or make use of your language skills in a non-specialist occupation, like marketing where they may be highly valued depending on the working environment.
Who do you want to work for?
Industries which are more globalised in nature and those who serve non-native speakers in the community, offer opportunities for students with language skills. It has also been found that departments where communication is particularly important generally have more use for languages (eg. Customer Service, Sales, Marketing).
Are you experienced?
Languages are especially useful when combined with expertise in another work-related field, in both specialist and non-specialist occupations. This could be sales experience for a bilingual sales manager, or training in legal French for a translator working for a French firm of solicitors. For more on gaining work experience both at home and abroad, go to work experience and working abroad and BLIS Jobs
Are you talking my language?
Certain languages are more relevant to global commerce than others - such as modern European languages - although languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Arabic are becoming more and more important.
In the public sector, however, a different range of languages is needed - these reflect languages in the local community such as Panjabi, Urdu, Turkish, Welsh and British Sign Language. In the context of politics and the civil service, different languages again are of interest - recent examples include Farsi, Albanian and Kurdish.
Language bonuses
Jobs with languages have perks. According to recruitment agencies, salary uplift can be anything from 8% to 20%, depending on how key languages are to the role. Features of jobs involving languages include overseas placements and flexible working hours and trainee language teachers qualify for special grants during training.
Room for all levels
It is not necessary to be fluent to make use of languages in the UK workplace. Organisations have been frequently shown to lack even basic language skills to greet customers at reception or to make basic introductions at meetings. There are many varied ways of learning languages, suited to everyone, detailed in our section on language learning.
Further information is available at: www.languageswork.org.uk
Have a look at our vacancies page, which carries an increasing number of language related vacancies.
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