Our news service will keep you posted on the latest on Languages Work, and languages and careers in the press, as well as events happening around the UK where Languages Work is being promoted.
Vote for your favourite LAFTAs video
17.06.08
The LAFTAs celebrity judging panel – which includes broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald and comedian Eddie Izzard – have now cast their votes and we will be announcing the winners at an awards ceremony in September.
If you haven’t taken part yet this year, you can still get involved. Multilingual Vacancies are hosting a People’s Vote, giving you the chance to vote for your favourite short-listed clips. The winner of the People’s Vote will receive a special prize sponsored by Multilingual Vacancies at the LAFTAs awards ceremony.
To rate your favourite clips, visit www.multilingualvacancies.com/videos.php
Free entry to the Language Recruitment Fair
06.06.08
Make a date in your diary to visit the Language Recruitment Fair, sponsored by www.toplanguagejobs.com at the Thistle Hotel, Marble Arch in Central London on the 13 and 14 June 2008.
If you are bilingual or multilingual and you are interested in finding a great job that meets your skills why not download your free ticket at www.languagerecruitmentfair.co.uk/free_ticket.php
Last year over 10,000 people attended the Language Recruitment Fair, and many were successful in finding employment opportunities using their language skills. You will be able to talk to leading employers face-to-face and discuss a wide range of employment opportunities in London, UK and the rest of Europe. Companies will be conducting interviews hoping to hire staff at the event so take along your CV.
The fair showcases many national and international companies and organisations that are interested in recruiting people with language skills, including: Apple, Blackberry, European Investment Bank, Corel, The Big Word and The Chartered Institute of Linguists. Recruitment professionals will be on hand to give you free advice on your CV and all other aspects to help you find your perfect job.
For further information, go to www.languagerecruitmentfair.co.uk
TV Production Company seeks modern language stars
20.05.08
Shine Ltd are developing a DCSF-funded TV series for Channel Four, aimed at inspiring more young people to study modern languages at secondary school and beyond.
The series will offer three young people aged 17-21 the opportunity to join a successful band or performer on tour as their ‘fixers.’ They will each be sent to a European city on the tour itinerary to help with the arrangements for the forthcoming concert.
Shine are looking for enthusiastic and motivated A-level and AS students with a reasonable grasp of a European language and a love of music to take part in the programme. The show offers the opportunity to get work experience in a competitive industry, whilst highlighting the importance of a second language as a skill. Filming would take place from the end of their last exam of the summer, in order to minimise the impact on their studies.
For more information and an application form, email fixers@shinelimited.com
LAFTAs video competition inspires UK language talent
29.04.08
The closing date for entries for the Languages and Film Talent Awards (LAFTAs) has now passed, giving us a fantastic total of over 150 entries.
Schools, FE colleges, universities and individuals from around the UK got involved in the first year of the competition, which invited 13-21-year olds to make two-minute videos showing the importance of language learning. The videos show a creative range of situations in which knowing a foreign language would be a great help, from dining abroad and being lost in foreign countries, to finding the love of your life or being attacked by sharks!
All of this year’s entries have been uploaded to the LAFTAs YouTube page, providing a resource for teachers who can use the videos to encourage pupils to continue with languages.
The clips will shortly be sent to our celebrity judging panel, which includes comedian Eddie Izzard and broadcaster Trevor McDonald. Winners will be contacted in the summer and invited to the LAFTAs awards ceremony.
Prizes include a trip to Spain sponsored by the Castille and Leon tourist office, and iPods donated by the French Embassy and Apple.
Skills survey shows demand for languages
18.04.08
A survey published last week by CBI showed that employers highly value language skills, with 75% seeing conversational ability in languages as desirable in applicants.
The 'CBI/Edexcel Education & Skills Survey 2008' of 735 firms, employing 1.7 million people between them, identifies skills gaps in the workplace, and reveals the skills and qualifications most valued by employers.
Conversational ability in languages was seen as highly desirable, with 75% of senior executives saying they look for this skill in applicants, as they see this as a means of building relationships and showing businesses abroad that UK firms are prepared to make the effort. Meanwhile 48% of firms are currently actively recruiting people specifically for their language skills.
The main demand is still for European languages, with 50% wanting French, 49% German and 41% Spanish. However, four in ten (43%) are interested in Mandarin/Cantonese as they look to break into new emerging markets.
For more information, visit the CBI website.
New push for foreign languages
07.02.08
Routes into Languages, the Government-funded programme to increase and widen participation in language learning in secondary and higher education, celebrated its national launch this week at London’s City Hall.
The three-year Routes into Languages programme involves more than 50 universities across the UK. Set up to address the decline in language take up at GCSE and beyond, the programme is co-ordinated by the HE Academy Subject Centre for Languages at the University of Southampton, with CILT, the National Centre for Languages, and the University Council of Modern Languages (UCML) as partners.
Read the full press release
Demand for graduates in interpreting reaches critical level
04.02.08
An article in last week’s Education Guardian highlighted a critical shortage of interpreters with English as a native language and a lack of skilled young linguists coming forward to fill this role.
The Guardian revealed that the average age of interpreters at international organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union is now over 58, with no new generation of young interpreters appearing to take over once the current workforce retires.
‘The biggest demand is for interpreters who have English as their first language and fluency in two others,’ Brian Fox, director of interpretation at the European commission told The Guardian.
Dr Svetlana Carsten, director of the interpreting postgraduate programme at Leeds said there is a particularly urgent need for German and French speakers, with generally higher numbers of Spanish graduates enrolling on the course.
Tonight’s Learning Curve on BBC Radio 4 will be further investigating this issue, including interviews with Brian Fox, Svetlana Carsten and Heather McGuinness, the Programme Manager of Routes into Languages. Tune into Radio 4 at 8.30pm to find out more.
Guide to promoting languages to teenagers now available
16.01.08
CILT, the National Centre for Languages is delighted to announce January’s publication of the Languages Work activity guide, a new resource providing advice, information and support for anyone wanting to inspire students to think about careers in languages.
Read the full press release
Celebrities support national languages and film competition for teenagers
28.11.07
Today sees the launch of the Language and Film Talent Awards (LAFTAs), a nationwide competition that will encourage young people between the ages of 13 and 21 to develop original short film clips that demonstrate the importance of language learning and to display them on YouTube.
Download the full press release (pdf 99KB)
Languages revival no quick fix
23.08.07
Today’s GCSE figures bring little comfort to any of us seeking to promote young people's competence in languages. Entries for French and German continue to decline as a result of the move from a compulsory subject to an optional one at KS4. However we should note that Spanish and other languages continue to grow, and learn from the success stories as we adapt to a new set of circumstances.
Download the full press release (pdf 52KB)
CILT response to A level results for languages
16.08.07
Figures released today which show a halt in the decline in the number of students taking A levels in languages are to be welcomed as a sign that efforts to put across the value of language learning are starting to take effect. Increases in numbers sitting Spanish and German A levels are particularly encouraging. Figures on applications for university courses with languages are also up this year, with applications for German increasing by 20%.
Visit the CILT website for the full story.
Musuem proposed for multilingual London
19.06.07
A new interactive Museum dedicated to languages may open in London to coincide with the 2012 Olympics. London is one of the world's most multilingual cities - with more than 350 languages spoken by its populus. A proposal is under consideration by the London Olympics board for the museum, which has the backing from the British Council and CILT, the National Centre for Languages. Barcelona will open a similar project next year to coincide with the International Year of Languages as designated by the United Nations to draw on the importance of multilingualism.
Survey shows diversity and change in adult language learning
06.06.07
Delegates at the annual Adult Education Show (8 June 2007) will be considering the results of CILT’s survey of adult language learning, carried out in conjunction with NIACE and the Association for Language Learning. Initial findings show that the number of adults learning languages in local authority and FE college classes is continuing to decline. The survey also highlights the growing diversity of adult language learning provision, and the growth in participation from ethnic minority communities.
A full report on the survey of local authorities and FE colleges will be published later in 2007.
Study to map language provision in further education
31.05.07
The DfES has charged the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) with conducting a study of language provision in FE in England. SQW consultants have been commissioned to undertake a comprehensive study which explores how current language provision (including community languages) meets the needs of employers and learners.
Scottish islands given voice in Europe
29.05.07
A series of documentaries in both Gaelic and English have been produced as part of a European project showcasing bilingual life in the Outer Hebrides. The POOLS project, represented in the UK by former European Award for Languages winner Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, has created slices of contemporary Hebridean life and work for pre-intermediate to post-intermediate learners. All materials are available for use and adaptation free of charge.
Read more (pdf)
British universities help students become business savvy
15.05.07
Recent cricitisms that British undergraduates lack the skills needed to enter the workforce has prompted a number of universities to introduce international placements into degrees to ensure students gain blue-chip experience.
Northern survey reveals linguistic appeal
08.05.07
The final report from the Northern Language Survey 2006 has now been published and the good news for employers with language recruitment needs is that 63.7% (1,215 respondents) are interested in looking for a job using their foreign language skills and 73.9% (1,413 people) would be willing to undertake training to improve their language skills for use in a work situation.
In total, 2,786 responses were received. Of these: 2,439 (87.5%) people have foreign language skills i.e. languages in addition to or other than English.
Jobseekers to showcase international expertise
03.05.07
Young people will be able to demonstrate their language and communication skills to potential employers via a new toolkit, specially designed for those undertaking, organising or hosting languages work placements. Businesses are increasingly expanding into new markets and as a result employees have contact with people from other cultural backgrounds, so, when looking for new staff, employers tend to value adaptability and good communication skills above anything else.
The Language Work Placement Toolkit allows people on work placements in the UK or abroad to record the development of international communication skills which will help them in their future careers, and to help those who are working with them to prepare for the placement.
Endangered Languages Week 2007
19.04.07
The Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project (HRLP) will be presenting its Endangered Languages Week this year on 23-26 April at SOAS, Russell Square. The programme will include films and documentaries celebrating and exploring the world’s linguistic diversity; a play by one of the world’s leading linguistic and English Language scholars and an open day exploring the work of the Endangered Languages Project.
European Commissioner for Multilingualism visits UK
17.04.07
Commissioner Leonard Orban is in London today to present the ELAN report to UK journalists and discuss the link between multilingualism and the UK's ability to make the most of the single/global markets. As part of his visit, the Commissioner will also meet with Bill Rammell, Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education and Lord Dearing, whose language review was published last month.