The Big Question | Is there a skills gap when it comes to linguists?

Candidates who are able to speak a second language can often catch the eye of recruiters. With more job advertisements seeking applicants who have the ability to speak another language it’s no wonder recruiters are seeking out individuals with this talent - especially as clients increasingly demand it.

Earlier this year, jobsite Indeed shared new data which found job vacancies specifying the German language as a requirement spiked by more than a tenth (11.59%) over the last three years. Meanwhile, those seeking Francophones (someone who can speak French) rose by over a per cent. Behind these came Chinese, increasing from fifth to third thanks to a significant rise in the number of jobs seeking Chinese speakers. 

While the overall demand for linguists has grown there is a risk that there will be an insufficient number of people with the skills needed to fill these roles; especially as UK’s impending departure from the EU looms large and there is a lack of school leavers with language qualifications.