The document describes experiences from individuals who completed a year abroad during their language degree. It highlights how the year abroad provided benefits such as improved language skills, cultural awareness, confidence, and independence that enhanced employability and career opportunities.

1. “I work in the European headquarters of
a media agency where I use not only my
language skills, but my knowledge of
other cultures. This means that I am able
to form good relationships based on
understanding, curiosity and interest.”
Alexandra, Combined honours in F rench with His tory of Art, Newcas tle
Univers ity, 2009. Year abroad working in Paris , now working in a Media
Ag ency.

2. “My current employer highlighted my
year abroad as a selling point. In my
experience, if you want to work for a
company that has offices around the
world, they need to see that you are able
to think internationally and even be
willing to travel and work internationally.”
Lucy, European S tudies with F rench, Reading Univers ity, 2010. Year
abroad s tudying in S tras bourg , now works for a multinational
corporation.

3. “Inevitably you grow in confidence,
not only in your chosen language,
but as an individual because it is an
achievement to set up a new life,
and thrive in another country,
without your usual support network
around you.”
J ay, F rench, and Eng lis h, Univers ity of Leeds , 2006. Lang uag e
As s is tant in Paris , now a banking law s olicitor in a larg e commercial
law firm in Leeds .

4. “The most transferable skill to come
out of my year abroad was the
confidence to speak in front of large
groups of people, which really
improved my ability to hold my own
in job interviews and presentations.”
J onathan, German with Bus ines s , Hull Univers ity, 2009. Lang uag e
As s is tant in Germany, now working for Virg in Media Bus ines s .

5. “The confidence, communication
and mediation skills I acquired have
proved invaluable. The year abroad
truly gave me significant
transferable skills in the workplace,
including the ability to get on with
people from all walks of life.”
Ian, Geog raphy and Applied French, Univers ity of the Wes t of Eng land,
Bris tol Univers ity, 2003. Lang uag e As s is tant in Paris , now a planning
cons ultant for a major Global property company.

6. “I work for the ambulance service by
day, and by night I am a Special
Constable for Greater Manchester
Police. Both of these jobs revolve
around interaction with different
people and cultures, and I believe my
year abroad helped me enormously in
securing these positions.”
Elis e, German, Univers ity of Leeds , 2009. S tudied in Germany, now works
for the ambulance s ervice and Greater Manches ter Police.

7. “When I spoke to managers about
future job prospects, they said that
it was the year abroad that had
instantly made my CV stand out
from other applications - without it, I
would have been just another
humanities student.”
F lorence, F rench (Ling uis tic and Lang uag e S tudies ), Univers ity of
S outhampton, 2012. Eras mus in France, now a publis hing hous e intern.

8. “Upon graduation I joined the Royal
Air Force so the languages didn't
really play much of a part in my
future but selection boards are
impressed by the independence and
cultural awareness acquired
through my year abroad.”
Robert, German and S panis h, Notting ham Trent Univers ity, 2010.
S tudied in Germany and S pain, now works for an airline bas ed in Hong
Kong .

9. “I would not have been able to
build the relationships necessary
for successful EU negotiation
without the real spoken French I
learned through total immersion.”
Miranda, Eng lis h & F rench, Oxford Univers ity, 2008. Lang uag e
As s is tant in Paris , now a civil s ervant in Wes tmins ter.

10. “Without doubt, my year abroad
increased my employability,
demonstrating a variety of
competencies such as
adaptability, motivation and
relationship-building amongst
many others.”
Komal, Manag ement S tudies with S panis h, Univers ity of Notting ham,
2010. Interns hip in S antiag o, Chile, with Pricewaterhous eCoopers on
year abroad, training contract with Pricewaterhous eCoopers UK
s tarting in April .

11. “During my time at the BBC I have
worked in a number of different
roles, from producing radio and TV
content to presenting my own radio
shows, and I am in no doubt that the
confidence gleaned on my year
abroad as a language assistant
helped me in the workplace.”
J ennifer, F rench and German, Durham, 2004. Lang uag e As s is tant in
Paris , now biling ual producer at the BBC World S ervice.

12. “The reality is that nearly everyone
who applied for the same positions
as me had a good degree and
relevant work experience, so having
something a little bit different on my
CV was enough to catch the panels’
attention when they were selecting
interview candidates.”
Eleanor, Law with French and S panis h, Univers ity of the Wes t of
Eng land, Bris tol, 2004. Law intern in Madrid, now a Barris ter.

13. “There is no doubt in my mind that
I wouldn’t have had the focus,
drive or resilience to secure a job
after graduation in a very
competitive and volatile job market
without my year abroad.”
S ophie, Eng lis h and F rench, Leeds Univers ity, 2007. Lang uag e
As s is tant in F rance, now a journalis t and s ub-editor at the S unday
Times .

14. “I am now a full time Parliamentary
Assistant in the European
Parliament, a job I am sure I would
not have secured without my
extremely beneficial work
experience on my year abroad.”
J es s ica, Modern and Medieval Lang uag es , Cambridg e Univers ity, 2011.
Interns hip in Brus s els , now a Parliamentary As s is tant in the European
Parliament.

15. “Flights: £500. Accommodation:
£2,000. Tuition fees: £1,500. Value
of the third year abroad: Priceless.”
Aimee, BA Hons Modern Lang uag es , Notting ham Trent Univers ity, 2003.
S tudied in F rance and S pain, now a Planner for a Cons truction Company.

16. “I believe the confidence and
independence gained during my
year abroad helped me through
the application and interview
stages for the police force and
also with the challenges of the
job once I started it.”
Karen, Geog raphy and French, Univers ity of Wales , Aberys twyth, 2005.
Lang uag e As s is tant in F rance, and now a Police officer.

17. “The experience abroad, above all
else, gave me the confidence that
I could achieve whatever I put my
mind to. I'm now 3 months away
from being a fully qualified
interpreter in the forces.”
Luke, Modern Lang uag es with Accounting , Newcas tle upon Tyne, 2006.
Lang uag e As s is tant in Madrid, joined RAF , now an interpreter in the
forces .

18. “I hope to continue my future
career building on my experiences
from the year abroad to help
deliver quality education for those
less fortunate than myself.”
S elina, German and Beg inners ' Portug ues e, Univers ity of
Notting ham, 2009. S tudied in Brazil and Germany, now delivers
educational res ources to impoveris hed children in As ia.

19. “Nothing that I can write can truly
justify the immense emotional
transformation I have undergone.”
Kate-Marie, French S tudies , The Univers ity of Manches ter, 2011.
Worked in F rance on her year abroad.

20. “It is simply inconceivable that I
should have reached this stage in the
recruitment procedure without the
skills and experience gained from my
year abroad over ten years ago.”
Mary, Interpreting and Trans lating with F rench and German
Lang uag e (Dutch ab initio), Univers ity of Eas t Ang lia, 2001. S tudied
in S witzerland and Germany, now a Lawyer-Ling uis t in Luxembourg .