Sharing success
Languages Work! initiative
Robert Gordon University and the Gordon Schools, Huntly
The focus of the Languages Work! Initiative is to promote positive dispositions to language learning and to celebrate the enjoyment to be gained in cultural and lifestyle terms. It highlights career opportunities and has developed links with local and national companies.
In January 2004 all 17 secondary schools from Aberdeenshire participated in a Languages Work! Conference at the Robert Gordon University. The guest of honour was Bertie Vogts, the then Scotland Team Manager. In September of that year the initiative was recognised with a European Award for Languages.
In January 2005 a similar conference was held at the Aberdeen Business School, where a strong message of support for language learning was delivered by Big Brother TV personality, Cameron Stout, who speaks five languages in addition to English.
Brian Prosser, Principal Teacher of Modern Languages at the Gordon Schools, Huntly, is one of the teachers firmly behind the initiative. He says:
'We must ensure that clear messages are given to our young people so that they are not disadvantaged in a European, indeed global market. We must help all our pupils to see not only that foreign languages per se are relevant in so many work situations but also that the transferable skills of problem-solving, perseverance and tolerance inherent in the process of learning a foreign language are skills which are highly valued by employers.
We would also wish to emphasise the enjoyment to be gained in broader lifestyle terms from being able to communicate to any extent in a foreign language. There’s a big world out there - let’s talk to it!'
Languages open doors
Careers Convention in celebration of the European Day of Languages 2004
To celebrate the European Day of Languages 2004, East Dunbartonshire Council Education Service in partnership with Languages Network Scotland, Careers Scotland and West Dunbartonshire Education and Cultural Services, hosted a Careers Convention with a foreign-language focus. The event was supported by a variety of local, national and international employers seeking to recruit people with foreign-language qualifications.
Over 400 pupils, parents, visitors and teaching staff attended the evening event to learn more about:
- Professional and economic advantages of learning foreign languages through the involvement of business/enterprise partnerships
- The wide variety of combined courses on offer at HE/FE institutions which give opportunities of work experience abroad
- The personal values of the continued study of a foreign language
- The use of e-technology and foreign languages in the workplace
IBM Greenock’s programme to promote languages in business
Inverclyde Education Services have introduced a certificate course in languages and IT for work in partnership with IBM Greenock, Paisley University and James Watt College.
Due to the rapid growth of e-commerce and the increasing demand for business language skills, Inverclyde Education Services has recognised the need, at school level, for an award of this type. The Certificate in Languages and IT for Work has a particular emphasis on multi-lingual operations, and the integration of language, information technology and customer care skills.
The course develops a fluency of a more formal nature in the work-place, satisfying certification in core skills of Communications, IT, problem-solving and Working with Others. It has been validated and certificated by SQA. The course aims to address employment needs of the future and to articulate with FE and HE courses in foreign languages and IT. It's aimed at sixth-year students, to encourage them to continue with the study of a foreign language which involves meaningful work-experience and assignments at IBM's multi-lingual call-centre.
See our Languages Ambassadors section, where you can read about Lisa Clark and Sean Roxburgh's experiences of the programme.
Contributions from Sheila McLachlan, Scottish CILT