More MNCs now looking for foreign language professionals

There seems to be rise in demand for people with knowledge of foreign languages in MNCs with 3 such companies approaching the Bangalore University for students in just one year.

For the first time in the history of the university’s Foreign Languages Department, three major international companies - Exxon Mobil, Dell and IBM – have approached it in a single year, according to Jyothi Venkatesh, co-ordinator, Centre for Global Languages, BU.

“In previous years, a few companies like Samsung, Oracle and Toyota had approached us. However, it usually was one major company and a few domestic ones in a year. This is the first time that three big companies approached us in a single year,” she said.

The three companies have sought students specialising in Portuguese, Spanish, German and French.

The department offers courses - beginners to advanced - in around 12 languages, with a few like Italian and Swedish being offered depending on the availability of students for the course.    
 
Sudhir Satyanarayana, who is studying an advanced diploma course in German language, has applied to Exxon Mobil, which has visited the campus. “There is usually a good demand for German in companies. They look for language specialists for various purposes both in the IT and no-IT sectors. Functions include invoicing, interacting with customers for quotations and documents. The starting package is also quite good and is around Rs 4.7 lakh per annum,” he said. 

Satyanarayana said there was more demand for people with a commerce background coupled with a foreign language or languages.

He himself has worked in the accounts sections of big MNCs like Siemens, Bosch and now an IT major.

Jyothi Venkatesh said that at a recent international forum she attended, there were close to 100 vacancies in various French banks for people with a background in commerce and French.

“During the forum, I got to know that French banks are looking for people with French expertise and commerce background. Besides French banks, even companies like TCS are looking for people with an engineering background and French language expertise. This just goes to show the appeal of languages across sectors and companies,” said Venkatesh.
Under BU’s Mrudhu Kousalya scheme, undergraduate students pursuing arts, science and computer applications will soon be imparted soft skills in German and French languages. Other courses that will be taught are Sanskrit and banking and finance courses under the scheme.