Preparing You for Any Job!
“To succeed in today’s workplace, young people need more than basic reading and math skills. They need substantial content knowledge and information technology skills; advanced thinking skills, flexibility to adapt to change; and interpersonal skills to succeed in multi-cultural, cross-functional teams.”
--J. Willard Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc.
Skills gained from learning a second language:
- Cultural awareness/competency
- Critical thinking skills
- Communication skills
- Writing skills
- Deeper understanding of the English language
- Interpersonal skills
- Analytical skills
- Higher problem solving skills
Studies also show studying languages gives you:
- Higher test scores
- Improved memory
- Increased confidence
- Higher creativity
- Higher income than monolingual counterparts
Applied skills ranked as the most important by employers:
- Professionalism/Work Ethic
- Oral and Written Communications*
- Teamwork/Collaboration and*
- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving*
*Skills that are improved by studying a language!
“Knowledge of Foreign Languages will ‘increase in importance’ in the next five years, more than any other basic skill, according to over 60 percent (63.3 percent) of the employer respondents.” (“Are They Really Ready to Work”, 2006)
Industries that Need Bilingual Workers
- Health care (ex: registered nurse, paramedic, home health aide)
- Hospitality (ex: concierge, hotel manager)
- Law Enforcement (ex: police officer, corrections officer, lawyer)
- Customer Service (ex: customer service representative, sales clerk, computer support representative)
- Social Services (ex: family social worker, substance abuse social worker)
- Communications (ex: journalist, public relations specialist, media relations specialist)
- Finance (ex: bank teller, accountant, financial advisor)
- Education (ex: teacher, ESL instructor, guidance counselor)
“Language is power. If you cannot understand or be understood you have no power. You are at the mercy of everyone”
--Rudat, 1995