As part of the Business Language Champions initiative, Liz Athey, Operations Manager at The Translation People recently took part in a Languages Day at Weston Road High School in Stafford.

Weston Road High School, on the eastern edge of Stafford, opened in September 1979 and now provides a comprehensive education to over a thousand 11 to 18 year olds. Amongst its specialist facilities is a language laboratory where students learn French or German from Year 7. The school strives to offer students a broad education in preparation for their transition into the world of work, which is why, on 4th December, they invited a selection of local language experts and businesses to speak to around 120 Year 9 students.

Among the speakers were Liz Athey, Operations Manager at The Translation People, Jonathan Leucci from ABB Limited in Warrington, Kate Wild, a Russian and Ukrainian interpreter from Staffs County Council and Tyron Whittle on  from Burton upon Trent, who has built up a reputation for signing songs for deaf people by bands such as James, Coldplay and the Arctic Monkeys. Some of his work can be seen here .

Liz Athey commented,

“I was delighted to be invited to the Languages Day. It’s vital that schools like Weston Road High School encourage students to continue studying languages to GCSE level and beyond to help address the decline in student numbers in this critical area.”

Julia Moorhouse, head of languages, was delighted with how the morning went and passed on her thanks to all of the business representatives involved:

“The morning went really well and it was great to offer different perspectives on using languages to remind students of the vast range of opportunities on offer if they continue with their language studies.”

Business Language Champions is a nationwide programme, supported by the Department for Children, Skills and Families (DCSF), which aims to bridge the gap between school and the workplace and increase foreign languages uptake.