As a rising number of careers now prefer, and often require, the ability to speak multiple languages, more community colleges are integrating career-based language programs for students. These programs are designed to teach students the necessary skills and abilities to communicate and compete in the global workforce after graduation.
Community Colleges: Foreign Language Programs and Career Preparation
The Focus of Foreign Language Studies
Foreign language studies incorporate a variety of elements, skills, and disciplines of various modes of communication. As Yakima Valley Community College, located in Washington, supports, “all courses emphasize oral language acquisition. The primary goals are to have students speak and understand the spoken language.”
Most community colleges, such as Yakima, additionally include courses in conversational practices, as well as a diverse mix of academic classes with various focus topics. In addition to teaching students the language, Yakima also teaches students about a language’s cultural history and social background. As students embark on the cultural studies of their language, opportunities for internships, studying abroad, and other interactive programs are highly rated and recommended.
Durham Technical Community College
Located in Durham, North Carolina, Durham Technical Community College is another institution providing students with extensive foreign language courses to provide support for potential careers. Durham offers courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Arapahoe Community College, located in Littleton Colorado, is one of the many community