Kings Norton Girls' make languages their business - 25 February 2008
Students at Kings Norton Girls’ School put languages top of their agenda recently when they were visited by a local entrepreneur.
Angela Maxwell, MD of Acuwomen, the UK’s first company to bring an all-women group of entrepreneurs under one roof, visited the school on 21 February 2008, to talk with Year 9 pupils about the importance of languages in business.
Pictured: Angela Maxwell talking to Year 9 pupils at Kings Norton Girls' School.
The decline in the take-up of languages has been much publicised and Angela took this opportunity to reveal the benefits language skills have bought her, such as being honoured by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for her outstanding contribution to UK Trade and Industry and being the sole SME representative in business round-table discussions with Tony Blair in 2004.
Students questioned Angela on why businesses value language skills, which are the most useful languages to learn and how languages can enhance career development and lead to personal gain.
This project is part of the Business Language Champions programme, designed to increase the uptake of languages in schools.
The sessions were well received and enjoyed by all, as Susan Nicklin, language college co-ordinator, said:
“Having someone with that wealth of experience and achievement, gave the students a real incentive to the think again about how far and where languages can take you. For any student to have an opportunity to meet, ask questions and be so enthused to do languages by a local success story is invaluable.”
Angela, a former European Adviser to UK Trade & Investment and recently appointed regional ambassador for the Women's Enterprise Network, was delighted with the response from students:
“I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, as it became clear that by exploring the variety of options open to those that study languages offered the students a new perspective on the world of work.”
Find out more about the Business Language Champions programme 
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