| Working and living in Scotland | |
| Cultural awareness | |
| Language skills | |
| What next? | |
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Language skills
Are language skills important for finding a job?
Before you answer, read some comments from other International Students.:
I would tell any International Students coming to Edinburgh to make sure you practice speaking English. Be confident about expressing yourself. It will help you to fit in and you need it for finding a good job . Chinese Graduate, University of Edinburgh Language skills, or lack of, can be a real hindrance [to finding a job]. International Student, Heriot-Watt University I found that the most difficult aspect of getting work was language - it can be a real difficulty especially for Chinese students. Chinese Postgraduate, University of Glasgow Voluntary work helps improve your English and should be encouraged. International Student, Heriot-Watt University |
Hopefully, you answered ‘yes'!
As you can see from the quotes above, having good English language skills is essential to finding and getting a job.
Even if your first language is English, as George Bernard Shaw once said, "Americans and Britons are cousins separated by a common language." The observation is equally true for Canadians, Bahamians, Australians, Ghanaians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Falkland Islanders or anyone else from a country where English is an official and widely spoken language.
If you remember from the quiz in the ‘How do I find out about jobs in Scotland?' section of this seminar, 'soft' skills, which include verbal and written communication, were the skills employers felt employees lacked the most.
How can I improve my language skills?
Depending on where you are from, one reason you might have chosen to study and work in Scotland is to improve your English language skills. However, even if English is your first language you will no doubt encounter many unfamiliar words and phrases - or words that don't mean quite the same thing that they do at home.
Like many countries, the United Kingdom boasts a wealth of regional accents and dialects. Scotland's are amongst the most distinctive, but you will soon become familiar with many of them.
Listen to the radio:
BBC Radio Scotland - you'll not only familiarise yourself with the sounds of Scotland, but it is a good way to find out more about current events, culture and sport before and after you arrive.
If you are curious, you can sample Scotland's other language, Gaelic, by visiting Radio nan Gaidheal at and clicking on èist a-rithist - ‘listen again' - and selecting a programme from the list.
Find and make use of internet language learning resources:
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) provides an excellent online learning environment: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
UEfAP.com has extensive learning materials, exercises and advice on using English for academic purposes:
Tom Sorbie's humorous guide to common words of the Scots dialect: www.sorbie.net/scots_words.htm
A related dialect called Doric is found in the northeast of Scotland (particularly useful if you are studying at the University of Aberdeen or Robert Gordon University ): www.aboutaberdeen.com/doric.php
General Scots: www.scots-online.org/
British Slang: www.peevish.co.uk/slang/
(As with all languages and dialects, some words and phrases that you will encounter may be rude or offensive, when in doubt ask a friend!)
Take classes:
Contact your university or college for information about English language courses that they offer. Local councils and other organisations may also offer English classes, giving you a chance to meet people outside the academic community.
Get Involved!
University life affords many opportunities to practice your communications skills - at the same time as making friends and memories, having fun and maybe even building your skills for permanent employment after you graduate!
- Join a club or sports society
- Do voluntary work
- Get a part-time job
- Attend cultural events—plays, concerts, exhibitions, films, book readings
- Travel around Scotland and the rest of the UK
