Press Release

Business links provide boost for languages

21 June 2007

Education and Skills Secretary Alan Johnson will praise business leaders and educationalists in Yorkshire & The Humber on Friday congratulating them on their highly successful campaign to boost language skills for pupils.

The Business Language Champions programme, run by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, brings together schools and businesses to boost language skills – identified as an area of crucial importance to Britain’s future economic well-being.

In Yorkshire & The Humber, take up has been dramatic, with 34 businesses representing all sectors of the economy taking up the challenge to encourage more pupils to carry on with languages and help them understand how languages are used in real life business situations.

At Friday’s annual celebration of the Yorkshire & The Humber Business Language Champions project, Mr Johnson will highlight the importance of the scheme in bringing excitement and relevance into language learning.

He will say: ‘It is crucial that we encourage young people to study languages as this will provide skills that are vitally needed in today’s global economy. That is why we are taking action to ensure pupils start learning foreign languages at a younger age.
 
‘The Business Languages Champions project is key to developing a strong link between education and business and helping pupils understand the practical benefits learning languages can have for their careers.’

Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages said: ‘The Business Language Champions model involves CILT’s Regional Language Networks working in collaboration with Business in the Community and regional Education Business Partnerships, enabling students to see languages as a practical skill for the workplace; teachers to understand businesses’ language needs; and businesses to gain an insight into the education system and how learning languages benefits their future employees’.

Dr Sandra Potestà, Regional Network Manager Yorkshire & The Humber said, ‘The staggering take up of this scheme by business and schools in our region reflects our appetite for success.

Combining language learning with business experience creates a heady mix for young people who deserve every opportunity we can give them.’