Slide1: Expanding horizons with Languages Work* Raising awareness of the true value of languages in the workplace and beyond


Slide2: What does ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ mean? Audi’s Head Office is in Germany but it makes cars in six countries. Do you know which they are? Go to www.languageswork.org.uk to find the answers


Slide3: Manufacturing Globalisation – competition, mergers, outsourcing, Relies heavily on exports Raw materials sourced overseas Importance of cultural skills as well as languages


Slide4: Debunking myths UK employers are not interested in language skills English is the international language of business Languages are only useful for high flyers in international business Languages are not a ‘vocational’ subject You can only do interpreting/translating or teaching You have to want to work abroad


Slide5: How much do employers value language skills? Employers are not all language-aware, but they are becoming more so They can recruit internationally They don’t just want language skills Mismatch between supply and demand You are in a better position with a language than without one


Slide6: ‘Employees with language skills are definitely more marketable and have more worth in the labour market’ Bob Shankley, HR Director, BMW ‘It is important that our employees are able to communicate in a variety of different languages to remain competitive in an international market’ Soraya Malik, Operational Training Manager, lastminute.com


Slide7: ‘We need people who have the ability to speak another European language because a big part of our business depends on those kinds of clients’ Mark Perowne, Managing Partner, Kings Sturge (Surveying firm) ‘It is important to have people with language skills to maximise business opportunities and to assist our clients in achieving their goals’ Salim Sonjee, Clarkson, Wright and Jakes (Solicitors and notaries) Orpington


Slide8: ‘English is not enough’


Slide9: ‘While English is a major language, it only accounts for around 30% of world Gross Domestic Product and is likely to account for less in the future. Neglecting other languages means ignoring quite significant potential markets’ Mark Davis, GDP by Language, 2004 ‘Monolingual English speakers face a bleak economic future’ ‘The competitive advantage of English is ebbing away as English becomes a near universal basic skill’ ‘The economic importance of other languages is growing’ David Graddol, English Next, 2006


Slide10: Language needs of European companies (ELAN survey 2006)


Slide11: Languages and ‘vocational’ skills


Slide12: Which company’s slogan is: ‘Parce que je le vaux’


Slide13: ‘I’ve been a hairdresser since I left school and set up as a mobile English-speaking hairdresser in Limousin. I soon got a huge clientele – people like chatting to their hairdresser in their own language. We knew hairdressing and computer skills were in high demand here’ Liz


Slide14: What do these have in common? Motorway linking Northern Ireland and Eire Lisbon music conservatory Desalination plant in Cyprus Gatwick airport


Slide15: Leisure and Tourism World Tourism: English to English 4% Non-English to Non-English 75%


Slide16: ‘Although the majority of Germans (especially the under 50s) speak English sufficiently well, it is still an advantage to have important signs and information material in German. An increasing number of visitors from the new federal states will appreciate some guidance in German’. ‘The French are reluctant to speak English’ ‘Italians’ command of English is generally poor’. Prepare web, print and/or signs in Spanish. Learn a few important and common Spanish phrases. Advice on marketing from VisitBritain website


Slide18: Retail High level of interaction with the public Customers more likely to buy if addressed in own language Increased multilingualism (tourism, diversity, globalisation) E-commerce – new research Opportunities for international experience


Slide19: How are languages used in UK workplaces?


Slide20: Public services ‘Paramedics often don’t have the time to find an interpreter, like a hospital does. They need information quickly and so it’s great if paramedics speak the language of a family that doesn’t speak good English’ Brian Goodwin, Ambulance Service Association.


Slide21: Housing ‘It is critical that the faces people see when they come to our reception or when we visit them at home, represent a mix. It's also important that there are a variety of languages spoken by our workforce. Someone might need a repair and if their English isn't good, we can put someone on the phone who can communicate with them. Clearly, all this improves our services.’ Peter McCormack, Director, Dominion Housing Group


Slide22: Insurance ‘When dealing with Spanish and Latin American risks, background information is often only available in Spanish’ Adam, trainee underwriter with Lloyds of London, degree in Spanish and French


Slide23: Only for the specialist linguists?


Slide24: Types of job with languages Customer service - 1,637 IT - 1,130 Accountancy, banking and finance - 985 Sales - 896 Marketing - 352 Secretarial and administration - 323 Translating and interpreting - 114


Slide25: Which languages? German - 1,340 French - 938 Spanish - 507 Polish - 111 Russian - 98 Arabic – 47 Mandarin – 43 Lithuanian – 15 Panjabi – 7 Urdu – 6


Slide26: Understanding what employers want ‘an international dimension’ ‘ability to build relationships’ ‘awareness of cultural differences’ ‘team-working, oral communication, problem-solving’ ‘commercial awareness’ ‘discipline, work ethic, effectiveness’


Slide27: What is Language Work trying to achieve? Increase take-up for languages 14-19 and into HE Provide extrinsic motivation for learners Increase understanding about the world of work and how languages fit in Raise aspirations and broaden horizons


Slide28: www.languageswork.org.uk


Slide31: Keeping in touch www.languageswork.org.uk