1. TOWARDS A STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING
LANGUAGE EDUCATION POLICIES IN SERBIA (STRALED)
The Employability of Language Professionals
Jelena Gledić
November 13th, 2012
Belgrade
2. The Employability of Language Professionals
Who are language professionals?
Where do they seek employment?
What type of employment is offered?
How are they assessed in job interviews?
How easily can they seek jobs outside their primary professional field?
Should university studies be aimed towards employability?
3. Who are language professionals?
Persons who have a degree in languages
People who work in translation, interpreting, teaching etc.
REFLESS Project study: 1826 respondents
827 students
236 unemployed graduate philologists
171 employed graduate philologists
526 companies
66 univesity teachers
Are they satisfied?
Why did they choose philology?
4. Who are language professionals?
Grade
Average no. of Have additional
average Studied abroad
years of study qualifications
(out of 10)
Un employed
graduates
6,3 7,97 34,3% 55%
Employed
graduates
5,31 8,47 46% 66%
5. Where do they seek employment?
Schools – English, French, Russian, German
(Spanish, Italian, Chinese)
Language schools
SMEs
Government, embassies, libraries, cultural centers,
How fast do they find a job after graduation?
6. What type of employment is offered?
Temporary
Part-time
Language *translation, interpreting, formal correspondence
Language and culture
Language, literature and culture
7. How are they assessed in job interviews?
Interview
International certificate
Recommendation
We have a talk with the candidate
Papers don’t matter, it matters that the candidate can really speak in
a foreign language when needed
The candidate should really know the language
8. How easily can they seek jobs outside their
primary professional field?
Additional skills
Professional skills over language skills
Should university studies be aimed towards
employability?