A recent survey conducted for CILT, the National Centre for Languages, has revealed that employers rank foreign language skills as second only to IT when it comes to finding the right candidate. It is clear that UK businesses feel strongly about getting this message across, since close to 300 of Britain’s top employers have signed up to a campaign to help young people bolster their employability by adding a language to their CV.

Boots, HSBC, Arsenal FC, Weetabix, and Royal Mail are among the British businesses who have united to inspire the next generation to learn a language, by becoming Business Language Champions. CILT is urging more UK businesses to follow the example and team up with schools to help demonstrate to young people just how valuable language skills can be in the workplace.

It is timely, then, that CILT has just launched an exciting new Languages Work website, an extremely valuable resource for anyone interested in finding out more about careers with languages. CILT will be demonstrating the site this week at the National Careers Guidance Show at the Emirates Stadium in London.

Languages Work, a project developed by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, is a hub of information on careers with languages, designed to support young people in making important decisions about their future. Its new website will provide language learners, careers advisers, parents and teachers with information on a vast range of jobs in which languages are an asset. It has information on everything from study options to gap years, with plenty of real life examples of people who are using their language skills at work.

Kathryn Board, Chief Executive of CILT, said: “In the current economic climate, it’s more important than ever to give young Britons the skills they need to build a successful career for themselves. Languages are a vital asset across a huge range of job sectors, and Languages Work wants to work closely with teachers, parents and careers advisers to get this crucial message across.”

The new Languages Work site has a dedicated area for careers advisers, and CILT has already started to present the site to this important audience. Alison Dixon, Support Services Manager at Connexions, said: “The Languages Work website is a welcome resource for young people, teachers and careers advisers. It covers everything you want to know around which languages to study, career planning and employment opportunities.”

CILT is encouraging careers professionals to come along to the show and find out more about how a language can boost young peoples’ job prospects.