TEACHERS’ GUIDE Education and employers working together for young people Education and Employers Taskforce

Supporting languages

Inspiring the Future

Inspiring the Future is a new free way for people who use languages at work to volunteer to share real life experiences with young people at state schools and colleges. Inspiring the Future allows teachers to connect with people locally who are well placed to talk to pupils about how choices made at school can affect their future lives.

It's an opportunity for employee volunteers talk about how they use language in their job and encourage young people to see the wide range of jobs where languages are important.

It is run by charity the Education and Employers Taskforce. To register yourself or your organisation/employees to take part visit: www.inspiringthefuture.org

Other resources for language learning

CfBT resources for language learning - www.cfbt.com

Routes into languages - www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk

Speak to the Future - http://www.speaktothefuture.org/

Economic case for language learning & employer engagement

A new research report The economic case for language learning and the role of employer engagement published in 2011 by the Education and Employers Taskforce argues the economic case for language learning in Britain and how employers can help.

The decline in language learning is holding back both young people and UK plc. The report highlights consistently high employer demand for people with foreign language skills and how our lack of skills in effect creates a £7.3 billion 'tax on trade' for the UK.

It introduces Inspiring the Future as a new free way for people who use languages at work to volunteer to share real life experiences with young people at state schools and colleges in England.

Read the full report: The economic case for language learning and the role of employer engagement

Watch vox pops from the launch event to hear the views of delegates

Dominic Luddy, Richard Hardie, Brian Lightman, Sir Christopher Mallaby, Nick Mair, Sir Jim Rose, Professor James Forman-Peck, Amy Thompson, Martin Pickett, Renata Alburquerque, Pamela Mayorcas and Teresa Tinsley.

Recent history of language learning in state schools

"In the knowledge society of the 21^st century, language competence and intercultural understanding are not optional extras; they are an essential part of being a citizen. For too long we have lagged behind as a nation in our capability to contribute fully as multi-lingual and culturally aware citizens. Likewise in the global economy, too few employees have the necessary language skills to be able to engage fully in international business, and too few employers support their employees in gaining additional language skills as part of their job." Languages for All: Languages for Life, A Strategy for England, Dfes (2002)

In 2004, languages at Key Stage 4 become an entitlement rather than mandatory. As a result, the number of students studying languages in schools at Key Stage 4 (GCSE) dropped markedly - from 80% taking a language at Key Stage 4, to just 50% (in 2006).

The Government is committed to a National Languages Strategy that promotes opportunities for language learning in schools, colleges, Higher Education, adult learning and the world of work.

This is where employers can help. Employer organisations are needed to inform students about the benefits (e.g. employability) of learning a modern foreign language in today's globalised economy.