Graduates with language skills are more and more in demand, writes ELAINE BIBLE

The Brits are renowned for lagging behind their European neighbours when it comes to being able to communicate in a foreign language. Less than a third of us can keep up a conversation in another language, and with languages falling off the compulsory curriculum for 14-16 year-olds, the situation could get much worse.

Ironically, this downturn comes at a time when languages are a key skill being sought by employers.

"Students are beginning to realise that businesses are asking for languages," said Dr Irne Hill, from Oxford Brookes University. "At job interviews, a candidate who can speak another language will have a distinct advantage over others."

But the benefits extend far beyond employment credentials. "Learning a language opens up your mind to the world, and to other cultures." added Dr Hill.

For Oxford Brookes student Jessy Thompson, the year she spent in the French Alps as part of her French and Psychology degree was a life-changing experience. Not only did she become fluent in French, she gained teaching skills and came home with a bank of happy memories.

She said: "My ambition was to learn the language and explore French culture. Looking back, I don't have a single bad memory."

Jessy chose to be an English teaching assistant in two secondary schools near the French town of Albertville, where the winter Olympics was held in 1992.

"I requested a placement there because I love winter sports," said Jessy. "It was my ulterior motive. I spent all my spare time snowboarding. Of course, I was speaking French the entire time, and I made lots of French friends."

Back at Brookes, 25-year-old Jessy is knuckling down to studying again, as she is in her final two years before she completes her course in 2008. Her experience in France was good preparation for the workplace, since she is thinking of training to be a teacher once she graduates.

"It was a good way to try teaching out," said Jessy. "I learned about classroom management, lesson planning, and how to get the pupils enthusiastic about languages."

In addition to obvious choices such as teaching and translation, graduates with languages are becoming sought after in the business world. The UK conducts more than 60 per cent of its trade with non-English speaking countries, so staff with language skills are a huge asset for firms eager to build relationships with foreign clients.

Oxford Brookes is keen for students who haven't specifically chosen a languages degree not to miss out, so their recently launched Modern Languages Unit is offering many courses for students to take alongside their main degree subject.

"With fewer students taking languages at school and university level, we believe that teaching language skills to non-specialists is a real priority. It is vital that more students enter the workplace with a foreign language under their belt," said Dr Hill.

"Our new Modern Languages Unit gives people opportunities to learn a new language from scratch or brush up on existing knowledge. Thanks to the modular system, there is a high degree of flexibility for students to add a language to their portfolio of modules."

Not surprisingly, students from the University's Business school have been particularly keen to choose a language as part of their degrees to boost their career prospects. The courses on offer, which include French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, are open to all undergraduates and postgraduates, as well as the local community, who can enrol as associate students.

Elaine Bible is Communications Officer at Oxford Brookes University. For more information on the courses and to view video clips from language students at Oxford Brookes, visit www.brookes.ac.uk/ languages. For enquiries, email: languages@brookes.ac.uk