Press Release

Think languages for careers - CILT launches new advice for sixth-formers

24 April 2006

CILT has launched a new careers factsheet to encourage more students to study a language at university. The choice of degree combinations involving languages has never been more exciting, from Portuguese and Brazilian Studies with Film, to Computer Forensics with a year abroad. The aim is to get sixth-formers thinking about how languages can enhance their prospects and make them more attractive to employers.

Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, said: ‘Young people need to “think languages” if they are looking for an exciting career with opportunities to travel and progress internationally. They should be thinking not just what they want to be doing, but where they want to be doing it; what sort of organisation they want to work for, and how languages can give them the edge.’

The new factsheet Mixing it up: Combining a language with your chosen university course is the latest in CILT’s Languages Work suite of materials. It gives examples of young people who combined languages with Geography, Engineering or Business and are now benefiting from this in their jobs. It makes the point that all students, even those not taking a language for A level, can use their time at university to improve their language skills. For example, courses which offer time abroad as part of an Erasmus programme can be a good way of acquiring another language.

The factsheet is aimed at teachers, careers advisers and parents and students, and provides links for further advice, as well as help in making choices.

The free factsheet can be downloaded from

www.languageswork.org.uk/advisers/publications/factsheets.htm.