Why a Language is beneficial in this Sector
- Working in medicine can often involve dealing with patients who have little or no English. Language skills can also be very beneficial when on an internship abroad
- Language skills are useful when attending conferences and networking with colleagues and regarding the latest developments
- There are many careers across the EU and beyond in the public health area. Having another language can broaden your options
- Nurses & Midwives are often the principal communicators between those they are caring for and their families. These professions also offer excellent opportunities for travel and gaining experience abroad
- Dentistry is an internationally accessible healthcare area, and interacting with foreign patients or your peers may require language skills
- Pharmacists have a diverse customer base which means that language skills are much sought after, particularly in larger urban centres
- Paramedics may often find themselves in emergencies where language skills may be needed as well as a good level of cultural awareness
In today's globalised and post-Brexit world, foreign language skills have become even more important across all sectors of the Irish economy. As one of the world’s most open economies, we rely a lot on foreign direct investment from multi-national companies right across the world. Irish-based enterprises need to diversify into other markets such as the EU, China and India, to name but a few. A key element to allow for this diversification is having enough young, well-educated and multi-lingual employees to service these needs.
There are a large number of college courses where you can study a foreign language as part of your degree. You can decide to study your desired language as a stand-alone language degree or you can opt to include your favourite language as part of your degree alongside your main discipline. Whatever way you decide to pursue your language studies, it will give you a richer college experience and broaden your future opportunities.
