| Show Page 11 Student Life Wednesday May 19 1976 FOREIGN LANGUAGES ACID CAREERS Honig and Richard Brod The following summary is reprinted with the kind permission of the authors BY Lucille J With the growing involvement of the United States in international business and the increasingly multinational character of American society itself the importance of foreign languages in nearly evey kind of occupation is evident The New York City bus driver who deals daily with both city resicjfijif and foreign tourists who speck a variety of languages the automobile executive marketing his products abroad the scientist using foreign research material the social worker assigned to a neighborhood the draftsman converting a European design to American meansurments the stewardess on a transatlantic run the foreign service officer in Asia the restaurant manager greeting a group of Japanese visitors the publisher drawing up a contract with an Italian novelist the television producer of specials — the list of Americans who use a foreign language in their work is virtually unlimited American business firms and service organizations are not likely to hire employees on the basis of language skills alone But a substantial number of therri have come to recognize their specific needs for foreign languages the most of them foresee a growth in the need for language skills both in their own particular businesses and in the general employment market And if there is one thing that employers con agree on in regard to the future it is change — change in the size scope and direction of their business and change in the talents they will demand Success in the world of work may very well depend on the ability of an employee to adapt to changing requirements — to convert general training and potential abilities into active productive skills The engineer whose knowledge of German comes in handy every so often this year may find in five years that his language skills are as valuable to his company as his technical abilities And a to junior administrator for a city hospital moyfind himself obliged look for a new job when Spanish becomes a requirement for his position — and he doesn't hove it More and more students and teachers hove begun to recognize the value of the school and college experience os preparation for work for a trade occupation or profession This preparation should include learning about work learning basic skills necessary for work ond eventually learning specific skills for a specific kind of work The more varied and the more highly developed one s skills thofjfoader one’s options Knowledge of a foreign traditional part of the liberal arts education is at the languag two-yea- r tour-yea- Spanish-speakin- Spanish-languag- visit since other applicants with a far greater technical knowledge had yet to be interviewed Nevertheless after a few minutes Staff I was speaking with the Head of the International Marketing American Latin for President Vice with the allowed to speak conducted in Portuguese Within Operations This interview wos of I was this interview presented five minutes ofter the conclusion was to the Vice President for European Operations This interview conducted in both English and Spanish ond I am sure my having was an additional plus in my favor Filived obroad in Mexico same time an important part of the basic preparation for a wide variety of careers The student who misses an opportunity to leorn a foreign language is in short closing doors to himself and narrowing his career opportunities The college language course may also provide on effective career preparation expecially since college students have usually beaun to narrow down their occupational choices and con relate r foreign language study to very specific career needs Many colleges and colleges and a growing number of incourses universities- hove introduced interesting career-relateto their language curricula some of which can count toward a major in foreign languages In other cases a double major or minor in foreign languages can be useful in terms of career goals business administration or A major in journalism sociology medicine combined with a minor in Spanish or Russian for example would be good preparation for many of the job areas described in this report A language major too can be useful for a career Law medical and business schools for example are happy to accept people with undergraduate majors in any of the liberal arts — including foreign languages And employers from almost every area of the business woild indicate—that they would consider a language major as suitoble and sometimes preferable — "row material" for on employee or trainee provided the candidate has also demonstrated an aptitude for the more technical aspects of the work he would be expected to do The following testimonial from a graduate with a language university helps to illustrate this point: mojor from a To demonstrate the importance of linguistic proficiency to multinational corporations let me relate to you brielfy the cirwith- cumstances surrounding my obtaining a position that we Rubber Company When my wife and t decided I called the local Chamber of Commerce would like to live in and inquired as to which companies there had extensive had and multinational operations I was told that both and substantial subsidiary operations abroad I then called spoke to the marketing manager in the International Division if o position was my qualifications and in fact asked available I explained that I was fluent in both Spanish and Por- My tuguese ond had some practical business experienceA Cuban linguistic ability in Spanish was tested immediately woman was asked to examine me over the telephone for I was proficiency Hovinq passed this preliminary examination allowed to submit my application for employment along with my resume' Within a few days I was invited to an interview When I arrived I was told from the onset that no decision would be made during my I fteen minutes later I was offered the position As it was explained to me although there were many applicants rubber more qualified than I in terms of technical expertise in the of not- s experience after many yeors industry it has been in languages their in personnel training attempts rubthat it would be easier to train me in the technical end of the Porot speak Spanish and than to train an expert ber business tuguese or am sure that my experience in obtaining a job is not unique isolated Today industry ond commerce are becoming extremely multinational Of the top five hundred corporations in the United hove subsidiaries or financial interests States on estimated 80 conFrom my own knowledge I could list thirty large abroad cerns with active multinational interests and divisions Caterpillar Foods General Motors United States Steel Kroftco General Kodak just to name a few all have large international operations high school Whether a college major or minor a as primary back far as a or beginning preparation sequence school an education in foreign languages is not just an exercise in for a few very grammar and literature or the background a for vital but o growing list ot preparation specialized jobs careers to Other less tangible values of language study are well known students teachers and others who enjoy words ond appreciate the special insights that study of words word origins and is pleasurable and linguistic features gives them Language study valuable in itself because it furnishes the key to the thinking patinterns culture and social institutions because it affords insights it mind because to the nature of language itself ond the human lear-nefosters a sense of shored humanity among persons who hove that impede communication In - break down the barriers addition language expands and enhances the addition language of travel of good literature expands and enhances the pleasures and the arts and of social interaction By combining career ond broadening effects of ’he aspirations with the humanizing and- - culture one can make a sound inof languoge study foreign vestment in a stimulating and rewarding future I " e four-yea- ’ r SOME STUDENTS C0fTflENT want to learn a second language to find out mv test capacities and my limitations I - to kind of and myself It's a challenge which greatly enjoy find very stimulating" - Kirk Walker freshman in math and hope to teach on the I'm minoring in German and level school high hope that the combination of math and German can help me get a better teaching position My brother is majoring in political science and history and is minoring in German because he hopes to "'m majoring -- -- began major field is forest range studying Spanish hoping that it would offer me a better job opportunity after graduation I’ve now had two years of Spanish and plan to take course next year and maybe go study for one quarter in Mexico It's no longer just a because it question of studying the language I've really but might get me a better job later a goal become it's and with fallen in love Spanish of mine to really become proficient in the language" - Von Isaman senior after he foreign service get a job with the Gill senior Dave r graduates" I "My upper-divisio- "I'm an anthropology major and anticipate going south of the border to complete my master's research requirments after get my unI m studying dergraduate degree Therefore difthe honest only be to Also very Spanish is the ference between the BA and the BS I a BA Before language requirmentI and want social with worked agencies returning to college with a that and found people northeast the in a second language skill can more easily get job in-areas where they work with minority groups Barbara Oberdieck senior I foreign positions in my field and most require a second language There are LOTS of positions A SECOND open but you HAVE TO HAVE LANGUAGE! Also studying a foreign language has helped me better understand my own has enriched my English language and - Bette Ramsey graduate student vocabulary" -- n -- student and plan to specialize in chemical research after receiving my MD whom I would degree Many large companies for eventually like to work have affiliates overseas me Studying German now will most liekly help of these with one larger later find employment a more valuable- - -- lember of companies and makeAlso think knowing a second their research staff education" in a results language - Allen Carter junior "I'm a i pre-me- d I better-iounde- recently completed "My major fiold is botany will go on for my PhD at my master's degree and Washington state this Fall I'm studying German because I’ve realized that knowing this language can be a tremendous asset in doing research in of recent my field and keeping abreast - Richard Arteca graduate student publications" I took Spanish for one year at USU Italian for of two quarters and am now in my third quarter I think I and it because enjoy French Why? Simply it's fun” - Dolores Torchio graudate student "I education and "My major is home economic’s in international work to are eventually my plans education or with one of the US Federal Departments like AID or USDA I've looked into several -- "I'm a liberal studies major and presently I enjoy it and studying French simply because a "I'm a senior with a double major economics and German and I plan to get a master's degree in business administration I hope to work with an international business firm upon completion of my formal education Regardless I’m pleased to have studied German because it has broadened my educational spectrum by acquainting me with materials in a foreign language which have given me new perspectives" - Mario Krogue senior SOfTE OBSERVATIONS FROfl USU FACULTY educational benefit is derived from studying foreign languages My own and education included studies of Latin French own of ones the learns logic One German Many language in studying the aforeign language ot PhD programs require reading knowledge f myself lived and worked in a foreign languages and my previous foreign country for three years from studying the foreign knowledge obtained to me’ - Easa" invaluable was language Dean School of Graduate Studies Professor of Physics "Tremondous "Personally I consider foreign languageforstudy the to be an excellent training experience in foreign reading mind and I’ve also used it in commutating materials statistics and book I used French mv In In fact travel Swedish Portuguese in addition to English of Business Robert P Collier Dean College YOUR FINAL DEGREE BY THE TIME YOU ARE AWARDED (and sweat and te vestment? of a foreign language enhances When employment opportunities in Extensionthe most clients working with our many minority "effective workers are those who can speak the client's own language 'I care' has much more credibility when communicated in the person's native tongue" - J Clark Ballard Vice President University Extension and Continuing Education "Knowledge has "Being able to speak a foreign language that me to experiences opened many exciting I would never nave been possible otherwise have I travel wherever appreciate found that people in their language I my effort to speak to them have also benefitted in my study of animal behavior by being able to read what the French and German scientists have written But it is the enhanced adventure in foreign travel that has been the most rewarding part of knowing foreign of languages" - Allen W Stokes Professor Wildlife Science whatever degree The°adcle? benefits you niay be you will have invested many years as a why not consider a second language as a result might make your initial invest- - it may somedTeop ment much more profitable whv not continue it? If you have never studied a foreign cannot promise you it will be easy - although it is no y one not But what we try language why every minute - but there are good moments the ob market 0r ce one wHicTauld prve to be very rewarding as you enter cours® the added personal satisfaction of having accomplished something special XrPgraduaion Plus of will offer new OPENED UP AIL PARTS OF THE WORLD The decades ahead The who will be prepared to meet the greatest “af?e“ esC°TrZrdr greatest rewards will go to those As we wrote earlier think ahead! Thing big! IF YOU HAVE STUDIED A npir si ttkiriiArc tmf past -- “omisruraSngTxpeM:! challenges -- |
