Preparing languages students for the world of work (9 Mar 07)

Programme

Past event summary

This conference set out to take a broader perspective on preparing languages students for their professional working life. It focused on the graduate skills and attributes that are valued by employers and examined ways in which universities can make these more explicit to students and can facilitate students' development of their employment choices.

Event Report

by Angela Gallagher-Brett

Working with employers: opportunities and challenges for languages

Isabelle Perez, Heriot-Watt University, European Award for Languages 2006

At Heriot-Watt links with the world of work are seen as important in helping students to prepare for professional life. Isabelle outlined a range of activities on degree programmes in which employers participate:

• Employers are invited to give presentations to students
• Employers have input in specific programmes, especially public service interpreting and translating. Representatives from the police, courts, immigration and NHS are directly involved in aspects of programme delivery
• Heriot-Watt graduates return to talk to current students about their professional lives
• Heriot-Watt won a European Award for Languages in 2006 for its Multilingual Debate. This involves key members of the community (for example Police Chief and Spanish Consul) taking part in a debate with an audience of approximately 500 secondary school pupils. Final year interpreting undergraduates provide interpreting services to the audience when discussion switches into a different language. This provides undergraduates with authentic interpreting experience.

A day in the life of a GCHQ linguist

Lindsay Sparling, GCHQ

Lindsay introduced the audience to the work done by GCHQ and described her route into the organisation as a mature entrant a few years ago. There is a substantial long-term requirement for languages at GCHQ. The organisation is keen to recruit languages graduates and has a particular need for Arabic (rare dialects), Urdu, Pushtu and Farsi. However, language aptitude is a crucial determinant so graduates of other languages, including French, German and Spanish are recruited and are often retrained in the rarer languages. GCHQ is a good option for people who are good at languages, who are interested in current affairs and who are able to analyse information. Mature graduates are also sought after. Graduates would normally be expected to have spent a year abroad during their degree as this is considered very important in ensuring an appropriate level of linguistic and cultural knowledge. Undergraduates should be encouraged to consider a career in GCHQ.

Employability in languages: progress and obstacles

Gudrun Myers, Sheffield Hallam University Employability CETL
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Gudrun described work at Sheffield Hallam to encourage the development of employability skills, in particular reflection and autonomy.

Languages and Management: introducing an integrated degree programme

Hlne Bilger-Street, University of Bath
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Hlne gave an introduction to the BSc International Management and Modern Languages degree programme at Bath.

Graduate skills and attributes: the employers view

Henry Dixon, Barratt Dixon Bell, International Marketing
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Henry put forward a strong case for the need for languages graduates in marketing.

Employability skills: teaching the un-teachable

Henriette Harnisch, Black Country Path Finder

Henriette focused on the role of HE in teaching employability skills to pre-entry language learners in schools. Employability skills (both explicit and implicit) can make language learning more motivating for learners in Key Stage 4 and should include provision for students on a range of progression routes, including GCSE, Business languages and non-accredited courses.

The Black Country Pathfinder based at the University of Wolverhampton uses an interdisciplinary approach in providing support to both teachers and learners in schools. Skills valued by employers have been integrated into their work and include the following:

• Speaking and listening skills
• Customer care skills
• Communication in context
• Problem solving;
• Resourcefulness
• Confidence
• Awareness of cultural otherness

For more information on the activities of the Black Country Pathfinder, go to the website
http://www.bcsip.org/PATHFINDER/

How can the careers service facilitate and add to language students' development of their employability and career choices?

Diane Appleton, Careers and Employability Service, University of Liverpool
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Diane presented a case study at the University of Liverpool where the careers service works in close collaboration with the modern languages department to facilitate the development of students employability.

What can the university experience add? Work-based modules for languages students

Graham Webb, Leeds Metropolitan University
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Graham introduced a work-based module undertaken with final year students at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Graham also described a research study in which he surveyed languages graduates about the use of skills gained on their degrees during their professional lives.
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