The Business of Language issue 20 - June 2008

Free resources to help you succeed overseas

Language and cultural skills play an important role in international trade as well as ensuring harmony and safety in multilingual workplaces at home.

Would you know what to do if your South African contacts invited you to a braai, how to charm your Japanese partners or settle a workplace dispute between migrant workers whose first language was not English?

The RLN is here to help your business to break down language and cultural barriers, by providing advice,  signposting and access to language services and resources.

If you are unsure what to say or do when visiting other countries or speaking with foreign clients, the RLN has a variety of free downloadable resources to help you learn basic phrases and understand cultural differences.

A range of podcasts are now available at www.rlnpodcast.com to help you get to grips with the language, culture and etiquette of over twenty different countries.

To help you avoid cultural misunderstandings and build better business relationships, the RLN provides PDF guides to over thirty countries including China, Brazil, Italy and Malaysia.

And it's not just overseas...language and cultural differences within the workplace can prevent your business from running smoothly.

We have recently added a new section to our website dedicated to employers of migrant workers, where you can find out more about integrating a multilcultural workforce, migrant worker legislation and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.

Please visit our website for further information.

Entrepreneur input helps double language uptake

Teachers at Paget High School in Burton are celebrating after the number of students opting to take languages more than doubled with help from a local entrepreneur.

The decline in the number of language students has been much publicised, which is why Angela Maxwell, Director of Acuwomen - the UK's first company to bring an all-female group of entrepreneurs under one roof - visited the school earlier this year to promote the importance of language skills.

During a specially arranged assembly, Angela spoke to Year 9 students about her experience of using languages and then took questions on why businesses value languages and how they make use of such skills.

The talks had a lasting effect on pupils and, combined with the continued enthusiasm of language staff, contributed to more than doubling the number of students opting to take languages post-14.  In September, 23 German students and 19 French students will commence GSCE classes, compared to just 10 students last year.

This project is part of the Business Language Champions programme, co-ordinated by the RLN and designed to reverse the recent decline in the take up of modern foreign languages.

Head of Languages, Janet Nash, was delighted with the numbers, saying:

"Angela's hard work has been much appreciated and we are really pleased with the numbers for next year.  It just goes to show that students respond well to having a 'real-life' perspective on their studies.  We look forward to working with Angela again."

Angela added:

"I'm not sure I can take all of the credit as Janet is a fantastic teacher but I am really pleased that we all had such a positive impact."

Chris Everall, RLN Manager, was pleased with the programme's continued success:

"It's great to see this when there is so much coverage about the decline in language skills in UK schools.  We are delighted that the Business Language Champions programme was able to bring Angela Maxwell and Paget High School together."

For more information on the Business Language Champions programme please visit our website.

Offering a warm welcome in any language

Do you need to attract more international visitors?

Can you communicate effectively with people whose first language may not be English?

Are you marketing your business to a multilingual, multicultural clientelle or do you just advertise in English and hope everyone can understand?

If you work in the Tourism industry then language and cultural skills should be an important part of your strategy.

With the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games only four years away and the region aiming to retain its position as the premier destination for business tourism outside London, it is vital we recognise the advantages of communicating with overseas visitors in their own language.

At the RLN we want to help you to maximise your visitor potential, which is why we've just launched a new section on our website dedicated to providing advice, guidance and signposting to improve your tourism strategy and ensure you provide international visitors with a professional service.

Visit our website today and find out more about:

• Ensuring your staff have the necessary language and cultural skills to deal effectively with overseas visitors
• Marketing your business in other countries
• Tourism-related news and events
• The 2012 Games and whether we are ready for them
• Useful resources and links to help you improve your tourism strategy

CBI survey shows demand for language skills 

A survey published in April by CBI showed that employers highly value communication skills, with 75 per cent seeing conversational ability in languages as a desirable skill in applicants.

The 'CBI/Edexcel Education & Skills Survey 2008' of 735 firms, employing 1.7 million people between them, identifies skills gaps in the workforce and reveals the skills and qualifications most valued by employers.

Conversational ability in languages was seen as highly desirable, with senior executives saying they look for this skill in applicants as they see it as a means of building relationships and showing businesses abroad that UK firms are prepared to make the effort.  Almost half of all the firms surveyed are currently actively recruiting people specifically for their language skills.

The main demand is still for European languages, with 50 per cent wanting French, 49 per cent German and 41 per cent Spanish.  Four in ten businesses, however, are interested in Mandarin/Cantonese as they look to break into new emerging markets.

According to the survey, the ability to communicate well is seen as one of the most important skills demanded from applicants.  For many employers, graduates' communication skills and ability to work as part of a team are more important than the degree subject or result.

For more information please visit the CBI website.

Have your say!  Speak out about the future requirements of translation and interpreting

Doug Lawrence, of Amicus TransTec, would like to know your views about the future requirements of translation and interpreting. 

As part of his research for a forthcoming ITI presentation, Doug has created an online survey to find out what you believe will be important in the future for freelance interpreters and translators.

Doug hopes the survey results will help those new to the industry to be better prepared.

Anyone who completes the online survey will be sent a summary of the results after the presentation on 7 June 2008.

Please click here to take part in the survey.

Forthcoming events

Here's our round up of the latest language and cultural-related events from around the West Midland and beyond.  Simply click on your chosen event to find out more information:

11 June - Doing Business with Yangzhou/China - a free business presentation, held at the ICC in Birmingham from 12.00 - 16.00

11 June - Community Languages National Conference - CILT's annual conference, for all those involved in community languages, takes place this year at the Holiday Inn Royal Victoria, Sheffield.

19 June - Keys to Export Success Seminars: Improving Export - held at Wharton Park Golf Club, Longbank, Bewdley, Kidderminster.

19 - 20 June - Tourism Society Annual Conference: Making Emerging Markets Pay - held at the World of Glass, St Helens, Merseyside.

20 June - Audio Visual Translation Workshop: Translating Corporate Films - an event for translators, held at the University of Salford.

25 June - MWTF Seminar: Brazil and Mexico Unlocked - and event for those wishing to enter the Brazilian or Mexican markets, held at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

10 July - Keys to Export Success Seminars: Improving Export - held at the Arden Hotel, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull.