Dingwall pupils learn about importance of language
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School pupils from across the Highlands met leading business figures to find out about the importance of learning a second language.
Young people from 11 schools across the north attended the event at the Kingsmills Hotel.
It was organised by SCILT, Scotland’s national centre for languages at the University of Strathclyde, alongside DYW Inverness and Central Highland and the University Council for Modern Languages Scotland (UCMLS).
The event was attended by businesses including Inverness Chamber of Commerce, Visit Loch Ness and Cobbs Group.
Business leaders spoke to the pupils about the importance of language skills and how they can help grow and develop successful companies.
A business brunch demonstrated the importance of languages in a work context and was aimed at encouraging the pupils to continue their language studies beyond their time at school.
One of the teachers attending the event said: “It is good for pupils to take a step back from school and lessons to think about the bigger picture.
“They discovered the importance of learning one or several languages, and that languages can give you an advantage and make you more employable.”
SCILT director Fhiona Mackay said: “In these times of uncertainty, it is even more important than ever that we equip our young people with the skills they will need for life beyond school.
“We want them to be outward-looking and able to operate in an interdependent world. Events such as these highlight the importance of language skills and intercultural competencies in the world of work.
“The business leaders who speak at these events give of their own time because they understand how much these skills are valued by employers and how vital they are.
“This kind of collaboration is an example of how education and business sectors can work together for their mutual benefit so that we can support young people and help them develop the skills that employers require in their workforce.”
