Employers and Universities: Work with us?
Why study languages?
Have you ever got stuck trying to ask for directions or ordering food abroad? Perhaps you’ve watched a foreign film and wished you didn’t need to read the subtitles?
Whether you dream of living overseas, travelling the world with work or helping people communicate, gaining language skills can help you in your career.
‘Whether it’s overseas living or helping others’ communicate, languages can help you achieve your dream job’
What are languages?
At school, you will learn modern foreign languages, or MFL for short.
The main languages you can take at GCSE and A-level are French, German and Spanish. But that’s not all! Depending on your school, the adventurous can choose from an exciting array of languages, including: Afrikaans, Portuguese, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Russian and Japanese.
At university, you can learn classical languages such as Latin and Ancient Greek – languages that are no longer in use but which form the foundation of much of Western culture and thought. Some schools offer Latin and Ancient Greek at A-level too – although you don’t usually need to study these languages at school to apply for a classics degree.
Teachers, bring languages careers into your classroom…
Our colourful guides and posters are a great way to make careers learning interactive while ticking off all eight Gatsby benchmarks!
- Gatsby Subject Guides – Explore how the skills and knowledge students develop in languages lead to real jobs – packed with case study interviews! All subjects available – buy individually or as a set. Browse in our shop now.
- Subject Posters – From the future of jobs in languages to top industries and key skills linked to your subject, choose the best careers poster to brighten up your classroom wall. All subjects available. Browse in our shop now.
What employability skills will I get?
The ability to speak another language, of course! OK, that’s an obvious one but there’s more to it than that. Learning a foreign language can build your:
- Communication – you’ll think carefully about how to express your ideas creatively and articulately, both in writing and speech.
- Concentration – studies have shown that learning a language can improve your ability to block out distractions.
- Cultural awareness – you’ll discover how people do things differently in other societies, broadening your cultural horizons.
- Multi-tasking – research suggests languages can help you do more than one thing at work.
- People skills – you’ll become more confident interacting with others.
What subjects do languages go with?
Languages go well with subjects like English language, English literature, history and geography as they are closely linked and can inform each other.
For example, learning about the linguistics behind a language in English could help you understand how the foreign language you’re learning works.
Or maybe you’re learning about the French Revolution in history. Knowing some French – particularly texts such as Victor Hugo’s novel Les MIserables – could give you deeper insight.
What degrees do I need languages for?
Entry requirements for language courses at university tend to vary across institutions. If you want to study a language such as French or Spanish at university you will need to have studied it at A-level as an entry requirement. Some universities, like University College London, require a modern foreign language GCSE for entry across all of its degree programmes.
Bear in mind too that languages are classified as facilitating subjects, which are favoured by top universities for a whole range of degree courses, so they are a great option, whatever you want to do!
What apprenticeships are languages useful for?
There are lots of apprenticeships where language skills can give you an edge. We’ve listed some below and given examples of where your language skills might come in useful.
- Customer service practitioner – You’ll help people from different backgrounds and potentially other countries, requiring cultural awareness and sensitivity.
- Early years educator – You may work with small children where English isn’t their first language.
- Learning and Skills Teacher – You could teach modern foreign languages or English as a foreign language at college – for example, as part of adult education courses.
- Publishing assistant – Support the creation of books, magazines, or digital content, using your high-level literacy and communication skills to ensure high-quality results.
- Travel consultant – Your language skills and cultural awareness could come directly into play in this role.
What careers can languages lead to?
Languages are great for a wide variety of careers especially those involving translation or communication with people from non-English speaking countries. This can include careers in tourism, government, politics, media, publishing, and journalism. Roles include:
Top five Career Zones to explore:
- Education & Teaching
- Hospitality, Leisure & Tourism
- Law
- Public Sector & Government
- Publishing & Media
