University graduates who speak more than one language will enjoy better job prospects than those who don’t, says new research. A pretty large share of the UK’s population speaks several languages - 9.2% of the country speak another language other than English, says data from the Office for National Statistics. The findings from the University of Portsmouth show that German and French are the most sought-after languages by employers. Yet as a large proportion of schools are choosing to remove modern languages from their curriculum, this could hamper students’ future job opportunities. Indeed, in recent years, studies have shown that bilingual employees can earn between 5% and 10% more per hour on average than their monolingual peers. 

The importance of languages

Being able to speak more than one language is an invaluable asset and will only become more invaluable in future. Over the years the world has become considerably more interconnected and businesses that operate across the globe truly value the importance of multilingual employees. And demand is soaring. There are countless advantages to having the ability to converse in more than one language. Not just in regard to an individual finding a job, but it can also improve communication and understanding and open up new opportunities for businesses to break down barriers with global clients. Indeed, being multilingual can generate job opportunities that may be closed to just monolingual speakers. This could include a role as an interpreter in a customer services role that involves speaking to clients in different languages. Yet perhaps one of the standout benefits is heightened cultural awareness. Multilingual people may find it easier to connect with people from different cultures more profoundly and adapt to new cultures and environments. 

This is a view shared by FlashAcademy CEO and Co-Founder, Veejay Lingiah: “Children that are given the opportunity to develop their language skills early on in life are given a substantial advantage over their peers. There is a wide belief that multilingual children’s brains have better flexibility and cognitive abilities. And there is certainly an argument for multilingual children having a better ability to multitask.” He added: “These are key skills that will help children turn into adults that have the necessary abilities to complete tasks efficiently in the workplace, even if they enter job roles in which they are not required to speak multiple languages.”