PPLI Annual Report 2018 - Flipbook - Page 32
(iv) Work done with embassies, cultural institutes, and relevant bodies (3.A.2)
PPLI have had ongoing two-way
engagement with embassies represented
in Ireland, cultural institutes and enterprise
bodies in partnership with DBEI.
Two cohorts of languages champions
recruitment were launched in 2018. They
are the ‘language champions’ who use
languages in their work or who have
studied languages which benefited them
in their careers. These language champions
have spoken at events, such as Zeminar
(influencer Paul Mannion) and
#ThinkLanguages. They have also been
recorded doing a piece to camera for the
‘working with languages’ series of video
testimonials on www.languagesconnect.ie.
The second cohort of language champions
are senior representatives of enterprise
and education, who will influence parents,
school leaders, career guidance
professionals, as well as employers working in industry who would benefit from hearing why their organisation
would benefit from incorporating language speakers into their staffing strategies.
We have over 1,400 overseas companies based here in
From the 2018 Grad Ireland Graduate survey and
Ireland. A key requirement of our clients is proficiency
Graduate Recruitment Trends survey, 1/4 of employers
in a foreign language.
in Ireland who recruit graduates are finding that
(Mary Buckley, IDA)
there's a lack of language fluency in the country.
Orlaith Tunney, Careers Services Trinity College Dublin)
Irish people have a strong tradition of travelling and I
think they're more ready than many people to work
And as you look to a new and emerging market space
overseas. And obviously if you want to do that for even
like China, India, foreign languages become even
part of your career, having a language opens up lots
more important.
of new opportunities.
(Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland)
(Lawrence Meridith Director for (DG NEAR) – European
Commission)
For Irish companies to sell around the world, they need
to be proficient in foreign languages… we’ve set
targets to grow exports outside of the UK by 2020 and
if you want to be taken seriously in foreign markets
you need to speak the languages.
(Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland)
32