French course: How important is French in the Swiss job market?

Countries where French is spoken.
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Multilingualism is a must in a country with four national languages. Of course, this does not apply to every area of life, but in the Swiss job market in particular, foreign language skills are an important prerequisite for getting attractive jobs. A command of the respective regional language in spoken and written form (perhaps with the help of a French course), i.e. High German or Swiss German for German-speaking Switzerland, is a basic requirement in almost all sectors and positions, but knowledge of another language is also required in many areas. This is particularly evident from the fact that 43% of people in employment in Switzerland use another language at least once a week at their workplace, and 23% even use it every day, according to a survey by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) ("Languages at work - analysis of data from the 2014 language, religion and culture survey").

French course: How much demand is there for French courses in Switzerland?

Almost half of all employees in Switzerland regularly use another language in their everyday working life. But do they have sufficient language skills to do so? Did they acquire their language skills at school, during their apprenticeship or during their studies? Or do they have to build up their foreign language skills on their own in (young) adulthood by taking a French course?

The wide range of language schools in Switzerland and abroad and the even greater number of language courses on offer in a wide variety of languages and language levels show that language learning is indeed an extremely important topic. If you enter "language learning" in the search engines, 124,000,000 search results appear, and over 3.6 million for "language courses". But what about French? Is there any interest in a French course and learning French? Quite clearly: Yes. Over 43 million search results indicate that this is also a topic of interest, just as the listings for "French courses" with 228 million results make clear. However, it goes without saying that the available supply does not necessarily mean that there is demand and that many people from Switzerland are looking for a French language course or French course.

However, if we look at the average number of search queries per month from Switzerland alone, we can see that up to 10,000 search queries on the subject of "learning French" have been made every month over the last two years. The search terms "French course", "French language school" and "French language stay" generate up to 1,000 queries per month. This clearly shows the interest in this beautiful language and the desire to learn French in a suitable school through a French course or to expand existing skills.

But is French really needed for the job?

Do you really need French? Isn't it enough if you already speak English, because after all, the whole world speaks English and it is the "world language" par excellence? A definite "no", says François Grin, professor at the University of Geneva. Not even 30% of the world's population speaks English and even in Europe, 56% have no knowledge of English at all and a further 12% have only a basic knowledge. Relying solely on your knowledge of English can therefore be deceptive, even though these language skills are of course extremely important. So is it worth taking a French course to be able to speak French better? Many studies show that the answer is a resounding "yes". Swiss companies, for example, complain about the lack of staff with a good knowledge of French. Overall, 77% of all companies in this country lack employees who can communicate in French, whereas this only applies to 51% of companies in English. This shortage is particularly noticeable in sales and general management, according to a survey conducted by the Swiss National Science Foundation in 2007-2008.

The language skills acquired during school or in a French course are therefore highly valued by companies, as can also be clearly seen in the job advertisements. In addition to a good knowledge of German and English, applicants across all sectors are also expected to have a good to very good knowledge of French. In every 4th - 5th job advertisement, knowledge of French is either obligatory, desirable or an advantage. And a survey published in 2005 by the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland in Olten shows that this wish is realistic. In German-speaking Swiss companies, it is not mainly English that is spoken in contacts across language borders, but mainly French (39%). The French language skills required of their employees are therefore based on the real requirements of everyday working life.

In which professions are French skills particularly needed?

There are a large number of professions in which French language skills are required and preference is given to applicants who have good to very good French language skills. Anyone thinking about attending a French course often comes from the tourism industry, the catering or hotel industry or the commercial sector. However, knowledge of French is also highly recommended for the insurance industry and, last but not least, the fashion industry. Anyone working as a hotel specialist or hotel and catering tourism clerk, as a chef de réception or hôtelier-restaurateur / hôtelière-restauratrice, as a tourism specialist, guest advisor in tourism, employee in tourist information or in the reservation center in the tourist office must be able to communicate competently and confidently in French. Knowledge of French is also often a great advantage in logistics and forwarding, as well as in transportation. SBB, for example, generally requires its train drivers and conductors to have a good knowledge of French.

For professions such as interpreter, translator, foreign trade correspondent or foreign language secretary, it is a matter of course that they speak French fluently and acquire any missing knowledge in a special French course or French studies, as well as for tourist guides and tour guides, flight attendants and hostesses. However, it is not only in the tertiary sector, but also in the secondary sector, in manufacturing, i.e. in industry, the processing of raw materials, the energy industry, but less so in the skilled trades, that French language skills are becoming increasingly important.

French course: Do French skills have a positive effect on wages?

Knowledge of French is sometimes very important for a career in Switzerland and increases the chances of finding a better-paid job. The range of jobs that people who speak French well can apply for is also wider, which of course offers many advantages. But is it really worth it financially to attend a French course and improve your language skills? According to a study by Professor Grin, people who speak French well to very well in German-speaking Switzerland actually earn 15% more on average.

What is the best way to learn French?

If you have decided to improve your knowledge of French or even learn the language from scratch, there are plenty of opportunities to do so on the Swiss education market. First and foremost is attending a language school. There are language schools where you can learn French in every major city, offering a wide range of courses. As a French course should always be tailored to your own needs, it is essential that you obtain sufficient information and offers before enrolling on one. Here on Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch you will find not only providers but also comprehensive guides on this topic.

Language courses can be attended with different orientations, for example as a standard course, as a course for business French or as preparation for the vacations. There are also preparation courses for recognized French diplomas, such as the DELF or DALF, so-called diploma courses. However, not everyone is able to attend a French course that takes place regularly once a week on the school's premises for professional or private reasons. Irregular or long working hours are one reason why, until a few years ago, many of these language enthusiasts struggled through French grammar and vocabulary mainly with language learning CDs or learning books. Fortunately, those days are long gone and much more pleasant learning methods have been established. For example, the blended learning model, in which knowledge is acquired on the school's own learning platforms, which is then intensified in individual face-to-face lessons. Pure online French courses are also becoming increasingly popular, as are language learning apps and language study trips to France or French-speaking countries.

All of these options, which do not require face-to-face lessons, can be extremely beneficial and useful, but are generally not a substitute for a French course. This is mainly due to the fact that in a language course with face-to-face lessons, the spoken language, pronunciation and oral communication are of great importance. This requires practice and corrections that can only be made in contact with others. A French course with face-to-face lessons or a pure communication course in combination with other learning methods is therefore highly recommended in order to successfully improve your French skills.

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