Based on a survey of 1,200 managers and human resources professionals with knowledge of their organization's foreign language needs, the report highlights the critical demand for employees who can communicate in multiple languages.

A third of the survey respondents reported that their needs for foreign language skills were not being met by current employees. Overall, Spanish, Mandarin, French, Japanese, and German were the most in-demand languages, the report found.

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages commissioned the report and survey as part of its Lead with Languages initiative, a public awareness campaign that aims to make language learning a national priority. The report advocates for an education system that prepares graduates to become proficient in other languages and cultures, and maintains a pipeline of prospective employees that U.S. industry needs to compete in a "global economy."

By Corey Mitchell on May 21, 2019 3:50 PM

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