Over 3,000 young people in schools across the North East and UK were involved in an inspiring webinar with the brilliant David Binns from Sanako today, as part of the Festival’s languages and careers series of events and activities.
David is the Director of Operations for Sanako UK & Ireland, a global company with 96 offices worldwide and headquarters in Finland. He shared insights into what employers want from their employees and how having a good language qualification at GCSE or above makes all the difference in terms of getting an interview, getting a job, increasing earning power and opening the door to wider employment opportunities, whatever job you want to do. David shared stories from his own Yorkshire upbringing, where languages were not valued. He stressed how learning Finnish changed his life – making mistakes along the way, learning from them and ultimately, opening the door to the successful career and business he has now.
David said that for English speakers, having an additional language makes them better communicators and more articulate in their own language, more outgoing and responsive. For those with different home languages, they have the advantage of this, as well as usually having English and perhaps another language as well. All of this makes young people more employable and more attractive to prospective employers in any chosen field.
If anyone tells you that having a language qualification is not important – they are wrong!
The internet has changed everything and global trade relies on companies having employees who can communicate well in any situation.
Having a language qualification, even if you don’t use that language every day, or even every month, gives you the edge, as you will be a better communicator, which is what employers need to be able to trade globally.
Whatever the job, in whatever specialism – industry and business across the UK and the world need people with additional language skills.
Ticking that ‘languages’ box on an application form and adding it prominently on your CV, gives you the edge. It makes you stand out from the hundreds of applications received from people with the same types of qualifications and you are more likely to get an interview.
People buy from people and the world revolves around sales, so highlighting your language qualification shows you are a good communicator.
“The more you learn the more you earn” and language qualifications are the key to getting a good job and having more choice. It is the only transferable skill that lasts for ever and employers really value it.
If you have the opportunity to take a language at school, do it! You will have the potential to get much higher earnings in any chosen career – you can change the world like Greta Thunberg or make a fortune – your language skills and qualifications will open doors for you.
Further information and links
- Click here to find out more about Sanako products and services, technology solutions for language teaching and learning..
- Follow David Binns on social media: LinkedIn and X (Twitter) and follow Sanako on facebook
- Click here for more careers related information and resources for schools from National Careers Week and North East Ambition, as well as languages and careers events, activities and resources offered as part of Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages
- View the Festival’s Stories page for more stories from people of all ages and backgrounds, who are from, or came to live in the region, their language and cultural journeys and the impact it has had on their lives and careers.
Acknowledgements
- A special thank you to David Binns from Sanako for delivering this amazing webinar free to North East and UK schools as part of the 2025 Festival
- Thank you to Steven Fawkes (Association of Language Learning) for suggesting this webinar and putting the organisers and Sanako in touch with each other
- Thanks go to Declan Baharini (Festival Co-ordinator and CEO of International Newcastle) and Sarah Edgar (School Effectiveness, Newcastle City Council) for working with David to make this webinar available to North East and UK schools
- Thanks also to Natalie Jennings at Newcastle City Council who provided the technical support and hosting of the webinar and made sure everything ran smoothly
This project is part funded by the North East Combined Authority
