INTRODUCTIONMickCareydef212003-08-22T15:12:00Z2007-04-03T12:21:00Z2007-04-03T12:21:00Z1358020406Aspire-i Ltd170472393911.6568

Presenter’s NotesThe aim of the presentation is to introduce to students how important it is to learn languages for the benefit of their career. It aims to create firmly in students’ minds a link between the ability to speak another language and their own careers. It is based on the fact that young people, teachers and advisers are often unaware of the value of being able to speak another language for their own employment prospects. It is also based on the fact that young people, teachers and advisers are unaware of the opportunities available to study and work abroad and therefore do not take up opportunities to learn languages abroad. Often when presented with the opportunities, young people are very interested in studying in

France

Italy

, for example, or spending the summer working in

Spain

. In this situation, the benefits and advantages of learning a language become real for young people rather than abstract.The most important point for young people to learn is that languages are not skills that are only needed by linguists who are likely to work as translators, tour guides, air stewards/stewardesses or teachers. They are vital tools for employees in all sectors of industry and the ability to speak another language will bring major benefits in looking for employment, and are likely to open many doors in later life. The PresentationThe presentation is split into 3 sections and the sections can be presented at different times with for example, some of the exercises or case studies used during the presentation.The 3 sections are as follows:Section 1: The importance of language skills in today’s labour marketSection 2: Mobility: Why do the British not learn languages? Why are young Britons not as mobile as other young Europeans?Section 3: Opportunities available in Europe and beyond.Section 1: The importance of language skills in today’s labour marketOHP 2Tony Blair made these comments in an introduction to the annual conference of the British Council: Education and Training Group. It makes the point clearly how society has become much more global and how important it is to learn different languages. This quotation is an excellent introduction to the presentation as it links the ability to learn and speak foreign languages to the well-being and growth of the economy. The quote also provides an excellent summary of the aims of the presentation and it also reinforces the point that this is a national issue and one that is taken seriously by Tony Blair and the government.Tony Blair is actually a good example of someone who has learnt a language, as he learnt French by working in a bar in Paris in his younger days. Although clearly his present job does not require him to speak another language, equally clearly the ability to speak French is very useful for working with European partners both in meetings and socially. OHPs 3 and 4The Nuffield Languages enquiry was set up by the government to examine “what capability in languages the

will need in the next twenty years if it is to fulfil its economic, strategic, social and cultural aims and responsibilities, and the aspirations of its citizens” and to examine the ways in which the capabilities can be met.The first quote stresses firstly that in working with organisations from across the world, it is not sufficient to just speak English. This leads to a competitive disadvantage for

organisations in the world market place.The second quote introduces the fact that in tomorrow’s labour market, those with the ability to speak only one language will be at a disadvantage. The increasing numbers of European nationals working in the

show this. For some of these jobs, they will be in competition with

nationals and the fact that they can speak more than one language is a major advantage. The basic point to stress is that the

labour market is short of people who can speak another language whether they are working in business, engineering, IT, teaching or many other types of work.Again the Nuffield Enquiry is a reflection of the fact that this is an important national issue and is seen as one by the Government.More information about the Nuffield Enquiry can be found at http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/languagesOHPs 5 and 6 These figures stress that Europe is an economic issue and not simply a political issue. It is also a skills issue. For the

to be successful in the European markets, it is crucial that our labour force develops skills such as language skills to be able to compete effectively. Most young Europeans can now speak at least one other language and in many cases can speak two languages. It is not a question of whether you would like to work abroad, but a question of whether you would like to work in a European and global economy. The

aims to be a European and global economy.It is also important to stress that Europe has introduced other changes that are not always obvious in the mainly political discussions that take place about Europe. For example,

nationals have the right to live, work or study in other EU countries without the need for a work permit. This means that therefore the ability to speak another language will create greater opportunities in later life. For example, as

trade grows within Europe, those with language skills may have the opportunity to travel across Europe within their job or possibly work and live in another country. OHP 7 This OHP aims to show that businesses and other organisations need staff with language skills to work in a variety of different job areas and not just in traditional areas such as translation or teaching. The first quote reinforces that fact that many organisations need staff with language skills due to the fact that they work with organisations from different countries. The second quote gives examples of some of the types of work that another language can be used for. OHP 8 This OHP reinforces the fact that there is a shortage of people in the

labour force who can speak foreign languages. Again the point needs to be made that it does not really matter what type of work a young person is considering going into, it is possible that learning a language could be useful to them in future years.OHP 9The aims of these quotes are to firstly reinforce the fact that languages are not simply of value to the traditional jobs available to language graduates e.g. translator, interpreter or teacher. The two examples use secretarial work and motor vehicle manufacturing, but many examples can be used. Secondly however the figures reinforce the fact that learning a language can bring financial rewards. It is not commonly known that secretarial and clerical staff with language skills can earn more than those who can speak only English. The vast majority of young people training in secretarial and clerical work do not have any other languages and do not see the need to learn one. There are therefore shortages of workers with both secretarial and language skills. It is also worth discussing why the Personnel Director of Volkswagen would make such a comment. Firstly as a multinational company, it is clear that Volkswagen needs workers at ease working in more than one country and more than one language. A company that works on a European level must have “European” staff.Secondly, there are many graduates who have spent a period of time in another country. It is much more common for graduates from other European countries to be able to speak at least one other language than their own, and to have spent time either studying or working in another country.What this quote means is that engineering graduates wanting to work in the motor industry really need to speak other languages and have experience of living abroad through programmes such as ERASMUS or LEONARDO. Or at least it is possible to say that engineering graduates who can speak another language and who have spent time in another country will have a greater range of opportunities within engineering than those who cannot speak another language. How many students who are likely to study engineering will also be studying a language? This situation is true for many subjects and not just engineering. OHP 10 The OHPs aim to stress the reasons why learning languages is important. The two quotes reinforce why languages are valuable within the business world. They are direct quotes from British businesses that see the need for their

based staff to be able to speak another language in order to be able to compete in markets outside the

.OHP 11This shows the languages most likely to be valued by businesses and other organisations when looking to recruit new staff. It should be pointed out that we are not talking simply about European languages. Being able to speak other languages from around the world is also becoming increasingly important in the labour market. It should also be stressed that other factors, such as interest in and enjoyment of a language, should also be taken into account when deciding which language to choose. This relatively small survey cannot provide a definitive answer to the question of which language a particular student should learn.OHP 12This OHP shows that languages graduates find a wide variety of jobs and gives direct evidence that such skills are useful in business and a wide range of different organisations.In fact a recent study by Keith Marshall from the school of Modern Languages, University of Wales Bangor shows that the unemployment rate amongst 1998 German graduates was 4.2% and the figure French graduates was 4.3%. This compares with figures for Business Studies graduates of 6.3% and Engineering graduates of 6.6%. The figures also show that the most common jobs language graduates found after graduation were as follows.26.9% Business Services12.7% Manufacturing 11.6% Wholesale\Retail 10.4% Banking\FinanceIt is important therefore to stress that studying languages on a full time basis leads to a much wider range of opportunities than is commonly imagined. However, it should also be stressed that studying languages alongside other subjects such as Business Studies, Engineering and Secretarial Studies is important. It is also vital to stress that this does not simply apply to those likely to study at university. OHP 13The quote from Viviane Reading who is a European Union Commissioner reinforces the point that there are many new opportunities available within Europe, but to make the most of them it is necessary to speak another language. It also makes the point that there are other personal benefits to learning a new language. Learning a language opens the mind to other cultures and ways of life both of which can be highly beneficial. Exercises Exercises 1 and 2 can be used with this section of the presentation. The aim of these exercises is to introduce the countries of the European Union (and those planning to join the European Union) and the most commonly spoken languages in Europe and the world, in a light heartened manner. Section 2 Mobility: Why do the British not learn languages? Why are young Britons not as mobile as young Europeans?The aim of this section is to reinforce the point that young people from the

are not learning languages in sufficient numbers. It aims to introduce some of the reasons why this is the case and can lead into a discussion about the reasons why the students themselves will be studying a language or why they will not be studying a language.It also aims to encourage young people to think about some of the opportunities that are available to them to both learn a language during their education and the opportunities that may be available to them once they have learnt a language. It aims to make them think more about their own situation and whether learning a language will benefit them in years to come.OHP 15The figures show that compared to

Germany

nationals speak other languages very poorly. Most young people in other European countries can now speak more than one language on leaving school.

young people are alone in not being able to speak another language as a matter of course when leaving school. As was seen in OHP 9, some graduate level employers (e.g. Volkswagen) are beginning to recruit on a European level and will therefore insist from their new employees that they will be able to speak more than one language. OHPs 16 and 17The figures show that the numbers of young people studying languages in the

is actually in decline, both at ‘A’ level and degree level, at a time when it is more important to study languages than ever before. Why is this? There are many reasons for this and it can be discussed with the students. However, perhaps the most important reason is that young people do not see the relevance and importance of learning languages for their future careers. The most important thing to stress is that both the business and the media world need people with language skills. It is obvious that many companies in business and the media operate in more than simply the

and in order to do this they require staff with specialist skills and language skills. The second quote (also used earlier in the presentation) should be used at this point to reinforce the fact that language skills can be used in many different types of industries. Students limiting themselves to speaking only English miss out on such opportunities.OHPs 18 and 19These figures show that currently,

nationals are not mobile within Europe and do not take up the opportunities which are available. This reinforces the point that not only do young people from the UK not study languages; they do not take up the opportunities to work, study or undertake periods of voluntary work that are available to them.This includes opportunities that are part funded by the European Commission such as the SOCRATES programme. The SOCRATES programme allows students of all subjects in Higher Education (from Accountancy to Zoology) to spend part of their course at a European University. This gives the student the opportunity to improve their language skills, their knowledge of the subject by learning from a different perspective, an in depth knowledge of another country as well as the confidence and maturity which develops from living in another country.It is very important to stress that these are opportunities, which will only be available in the near future, and they will develop skills, which will last a lifetime.Another way of saying this is that young people are missing out on the opportunity to spend time studying or working in

Spain

Italy

France

Germany

and many other countries across Europe. OHP 20Looks at the reasons why

nationals are not mobile and do not take up opportunities outside the

. At Careers Europe, we feel there are three main reasons. The first is that Europe itself has a poor image. This is linked to the fact that in European terms, the

has something of an isolationist attitude. Politics aside, this means that the message about these opportunities available in Europe and the importance of learning languages can be lost.The second reason is the importance of English on a worldwide basis. This leads to an assumption that it is no longer necessary to learn other languages. Clearly, we believe that this is not the case as it may be possible to survive internationally with English only, but many opportunities will be missed.The reason that we are aiming to address however, is that we believe young people simply do not think of languages in terms of their careers and are simply not aware of the opportunities available to them. Today’s young people are likely to have travelled more widely than previous generations and are generally interested in the world beyond the

. However, they often do not make the link, for example, between their interest in travel and their career, and they are often simply unaware of opportunities such as ERASMUS and LEONARDO. At a recent 6th form conference in Sheffield, a quick straw pole showed that almost all students were interested in the idea of studying or working in Europe at some point, but that only around a third were aware of programmes such as ERASMUS and LEONARDO and other opportunities available to them at university.The point should be made however that there are practical reasons why these programmes may not be appropriate for students. For example, the grants available do not cover all costs and some students may find it difficult to cope with studying in another country and therefore studying in a different manner. The main aim of this exercise is to make more young people aware of the opportunities available. From this point further advice and information will be required.Exercises Exercise 3 can be used with this section of the presentation. This exercise aims to encourage the students to think widely about the range of situations that a language could be useful for them for work.This exercise can lead to a group discussion to look at whether the students themselves will be studying a language and the reasons why they will be or why they have decided against studying a language. They could then discuss what relevance they see learning a language has for their own career and whether they would be interested in working abroad.Section 3: Opportunities available in Europe and beyondThe aim of this section is to make young people aware that there are opportunities for them to work, study, train, or undertake voluntary work abroad. There are many more opportunities available than they perhaps think. For example, there are programmes funded by the European Commission for study, work placements and voluntary work in Europe. There are also other organised programmes and many young people look for summer work across Europe. We hope that awareness of these opportunities will make young people more aware of the value of being able to speak another language.The section can only act as an introduction. However more information is available in all Careers or Connexions services. Much of this information is produced by Careers Europe and we have brief details about this information included. These OHPs give brief information about the most common ways of studying abroad. The most important things to stress are that the opportunities to learn languages and to spend short periods of time abroad are available in the near future and the skills developed are equally as vital working in the

as they are abroad. They will give you the option to work in another country, but also will give you advantages when looking for employment in the

.Many young people are not interested in the idea of working or studying abroad. However, if a simple question is asked such as “is anyone interested in spending a summer working in

Spain

” or “would anyone like to spend a term studying in

Italy

”, then there is usually more interest. It is vital to stress that there are plenty of opportunities and that it is a realistic option. Having language skills will of course make it much more likely that these opportunities are available and also that they are more enjoyable. The material introduced in this section is also covered in more depth in the handouts. The presentation can be used to introduce the handouts and the exercises on studying and working in Europe can be used to allow the students to develop their own ideas and plans.The most important point to stress is that further information is available. Our experience is that most young people would not consider asking in careers centres and careers libraries for information about opportunities abroad. However whenever we have attended events that actively promote information about opportunities abroad, there is a great deal of interest amongst young people.OHP 22The basic rights that

citizens have concerning living, working and studying abroad needs to be reinforced to students. Many young people are unaware that they have the right to live and work in any of the countries that are members of the European Union. In practice this means that it is not necessary to have a work permit to work in another European Union member state as for example would be needed to be able to work in The United States or

Australia

. This means for example that it is possible to get off a train in Paris or a flight in

Spain

and then go and look for a job. In practice it may be necessary to obtain a residence permit and this would certainly be necessary if you intend to stay in the country for more than 3 months. Obviously a succesful job hunt is more likely if you are able to speak a language and also if you are familiar with the labour market in a particular country. However this kind of information is available from organisations such as Careers Europe. OHP 23This OHP provides an overview of some of the more common opportunities for young people to study or work abroad whether it is for a short period of time or for a longer period of time. The point needs to be made that not only are these opportunities open to young people, but apart from potentially being very enjoyable they can bring many benefits. Spending time in another country not only greatly improves language skills but it also provides an in depth insight into the culture of another country and also can contribute to a young persons personal development through the whole experience of living abroad. All of these skills will be valuable in the

labour market. OHPs 24–25 These OHPs introduce the most common ways of studying abroad, including an example of someone who has studied abroad. Details of the opportunities available can be found in the handout “STUDYING ABROAD”More details about the example can be found in the Case Studies section OHPs 26-28These OHPs introduce the most common ways of working abroad, including an example of someone who has worked abroad. Details of the opportunities available (including the LEONARDO programme) can be found in the handout “WORKING ABROAD”.More details about the example can be found in the Case Studies section.Undertaking these opportunities develops a range of skills. Apart from language skills, the experience of living abroad also develops confidence and maturity due to having to deal with a different range of situations. Learning how other countries study a subject or operate an industry also develops knowledge that will be highly useful in the

. For example, studying and working in forestry in

Norway

increased the students’ knowledge of forestry in a way that could not have been done in the

. OHPs 29-32These OHPs introduce some ideas for time out from studies or from work whether it is for a year or over the summer period. More details of the opportunities available can be found in the handout “TAKING TIME OUT ABROAD”.OHP 33This OHP reinforces the point again that the labour market of tomorrow will be an international one and as such will require different skills to be successful in it.OHPs 34 and 35There are growing amounts of information available about European and international opportunities. Careers Europe produces a wide range of materials and this information, if it is not available in schools, will be available in your local connexions/careers office. Materials available from Careers Europe.EXODUS – The Careers Europe database of International Careers Information.Eurofacts and Globalfacts Series – European and International careers information leaflets.Europe for Careers Teachers – A guide for Careers Teachers to introducing European and International issues.ExercisesExercises 4 and 5 can be used with this section. These exercises are basically research exercises for the students to find out more about the opportunities available for them. languages AND CAREERS

LANGUAGES AND CAREERS – WORKING ABROAD