Language skills ‘prevent Brits getting EU jobs’

EU Parliament holds first careers fair in London
A lack of foreign language skills means Britons are under-represented in the workforce of European Union (EU) institutions, according to a senior official.

UK workers are taking only 5 per cent of jobs available in the European Parliament and Commission – although the UK contains 12 per cent of the EU’s population.

Today the European Parliament is holding its first dedicated careers fair in London, in a bid to tackle the problem.

Michael Shackleton, head of the European Parliament Information Office in the UK, said: “People like me are coming to retirement and it’s very clear there are not enough people to take our places.

“I think it matters at all levels of the institutions not just at the highest levels. Having people from British backgrounds adds to the mix – it's really important if you want to influence what is going on."

He added: “The balance of the use of language has been in favour of English, but to understand what people are thinking about you also have to get a sense of them and how they see the world.”

Today’s careers event, What it's really like working for the EU, is designed to give school leavers, graduates and those seeking a career change the opportunity to speak to EU civil servants in a range of jobs, from interpreters and scientists, to policy-makers and secretarial support.

Since the last government made learning foreign languages optional in England from the age of 14, there has been a decline in the numbers of students studying them to GCSE level.

The proportion of students taking language GCSEs has fallen from 61 per cent in 2005 to 44 per cent in 2010.

However, the coalition government has introduced the English Baccalaureate, which will be awarded to students gaining good GCSE passes in English, maths, two science qualifications, a foreign or ancient language, and history or geography.

Source: PM Newdesk