Speaking another language can really enhance your career opportunities whatever field you are working in. People working in business, tourism, engineering, science, education and research will find opportunities for speaking another language in areas such as international trade, export marketing, working abroad, communicating with foreign counterparts and collaborating on projects in both European and global contexts.
http://gradireland.com/career-sectors/languages-and-culture
Gradireland - career guide for languages
EUROPASS - create your own language passport online: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/language-passport
Europass is an initiative which aims to help you make your skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe - whether you are enrolling in an education or training programme, looking for a job, or getting experience abroad http://www.europass.ie/europass/
The Post-Primary Languages Initiative http://www.languagesinitiative.ie/ Have a look at seven short films about "More Languages More Options".
http://www.onevoiceforlanguages.com/careers.html has up-to-date links.
Experts Group report (EGFSN - Expert Group on Future Skills Needs) - executive summary of "Key Skills for Enterprises to Trade Internationally" (Forfás): http://www.skillsireland.ie/publications/featuredpublications/title,9402,en.php
Power point presentation by EGFSN/Forfás about key skills for trade - language skills in demand.
The new report on citizens' attitudes and behaviour towards multilingualism, foreign language learning and translation demonstrates that Europeans have very positive attitudes towards multilingualism.
http://ec.europa.eu/languages/news/20120621-eurobarometer386_en.html
What the latest EU surveys tells us about multilingualism in Europe (part II) by Teresa Tinsley:
http://www.alcantaracoms.com/home/what-the-latest-eu-surveys-tells-us-about-multilingualism-in-europe-part-ii
Languages for Careers: http://www.gotocollege.ie/
Reasons for multilingualism
UK Jobs Market for those with foreign languages on the up: http://www.eurireland.ie/news/uk-jobs-market-for-those-with-foreign-languages-on-the-up.1696.html
British Chambers of Commerce: Boost exports further by improving businesses’ language skills and international connections. Survey of 8,000 businesses
Postgrad.ie article about language courses: http://www.postgrad.ie/postgraduate-languages.html
HEA - Erasmus Conference on Learning Mobility, Language Acquisition and Employability: http://www.eurireland.ie/news/erasmus-languages-conference-2012.1680.html
Irish Independent Newspaper article: Among the jobs in high demand are software engineers, network specialists, security experts, mobile phone programmers, and staff with fluency in French, German, Spanish, Dutch and Swedish.
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/it-crisis-the-70k-a-year-jobs-we-just-cant-fill-in-ireland-3072132.html
Presentations by IBEC & IRAAL on the importance of languages
IBEC presentation - Modern Languages: A Business Perspective
IRAAL presentation - Identifying Future Skills Needs
This is what the experts have to say:
‘When you get pro-active in your overseas markets, when you have to go out and sell and market your product, it is extremely important that the Irish person be able to speak French or German, Italian, Spanish, and might I suggest Chinese.’ (IDA at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion DkIT, May 2007)
‘There is a kind of Irish way of doing business, a kind of ‘plámás’ way, it works well in Ireland and it goes down pretty well in England and in America, but it doesn’t work at all in Europe, it’s meaningless to most European buyers.’ (Enterprise Ireland at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘If you want to be selling to an overseas buyer, you really need to be talking to them in their own language. Why? Companies need to have people who can relate to local buyers in their own language. Why? It makes life much easier for the buyer. It shows commitment, when that person selling a product can talk to you in your own language it gives you a greater feeling of security – this is a bona fide serious business person.’ (Enterprise Ireland at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘It isn’t just about speaking languages, just as important is the whole issue of understanding a culture.’ (Enterprise Ireland at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘Ireland has become one of the world’s leading exporters of services, by their nature they require a higher level of human interaction, more sophisticated communication skills and foreign language proficiency.’ (Forfás at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘75% of the world’s population don’t speak any English and 94% don’t have English as their mother tongue. The reality is that most people prefer to buy in their mother tongue.’ (Forfás at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘A firm that can interact with a customer in their native tongue will automatically have a competitive advantage.’ (Forfás at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘More than 50% of industries would use foreign language skills if they were provided.’ (IBEC at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘There is a huge dearth of language graduates available to companies at the moment.’ (IBEC at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘Language is an amplifier of every skill a graduate has, it is the only skill that you can add to your CV that will improve your employability and in times of economic need, if you can transfer your skill to a different market, you are less likely to be the victim of economic uncertainty.' (IBEC at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
‘What is a unique selling point of any Irish graduate who is working in an exporting company? That they have knowledge of the language and culture of the country that they are trying to sell into.’ (IBEC at IoTs Languages Strategy Network Expert Panel discussion ITB, Oct 2007)
Graduate Opportunities in the EU - http://eu-debate.blogspot.com/
A new Eurobarometer has been published that reports on the survey ''Employers' perception of graduate employability''. The findings indicate which skills and competences are valued most by employers. One of the key findings was that, according to European employers, foreign language skills will be the most important and requested skill in the future. http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/news/news4738_en.htm
Last December new priorities have been set for the Copenhagen Process and a new plan for VET was adopted. The Bruges communiqué highlights the increasing importance of foreign language skills for getting and keeping a job, for international mobility and for cross-border cooperation. http://ec.europa.eu/education/vocational-education/doc1143_en.htm
CILT - the National information resource on careers with languages http://www.languageswork.org.uk/home.aspx
On this site you’ll find everything you need to know about how you could use languages in a wide range of careers.
CILT - statements from businesses http://pledge.languageswork.org.uk/?q=oursupporters
CILT - value of languages to the economy http://www.cilt.org.uk/workplace/business_case.aspx
CILT - information on the value of languages http://www.cilt.org.uk/making_the_case.aspx
Please have a look at the Enterprise Ireland presentation. It includes some interesting facts.
ICT Ireland (Leadership in Information and Communications Technology) and the ISA (Irish Software Association)
This survey takes a snapshot of foreign language requirements in the high-tech industry and identifies some of the key challenges, priorities and growth areas of employers with regard to language skills.
The need for language skills in the high-tech sector