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Second language 'great for employers'

Employers are currently crying out for employees who are multilingual, it has been argued.

Teresa Tinsley, director of communications at CILT, the National Centre for Languages, said that three quarters of employers want to find staff who can hold a conversation in a foreign language in order to help boost their ability to operate overseas.

She commented: "Employers are increasingly looking for people with ability in a second language, particularly conversational language skills which help to build relationships with existing partners and to make contacts in new markets."

Just having the ability to chat in a foreign language can do wonders to help businesses network and make contacts with foreign firms, she noted.

According to the National Foundation for Education Research, 92 per cent of schools in the UK are currently offering language courses to children at Key Stage 2.

French is the most commonly taught language, followed by Spanish and then German.