ENGLISH – SKILLS FOR
WORK, SKILLS FOR LIFE
Where could further study of English lead you?
English Skills for Work and Life
Why is developing your English skills
important?
 What are the work and life skills
improved through studying English?
 What specific careers are possible
through further study of English?

Why English is Important
Why Literacy skills matter – and what
employers say about young people entering
the work place today.
Why is developing your English skills
important?
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English at some level is required by the vast
majority of employers, colleges and universities.
This is because English develops communication
skills.
The ability to listen, read, write and talk are
fundamental skills that you will use throughout your
entire adult life.
Employers say they need more young people who
can express themselves clearly, think
independently and work creatively.
Why is developing your English skills
important?
Employer Opinions
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70% said young people
had poor interpersonal
skills.
55% said young people
lacked self management.
40% said young people
did not have good enough
literacy skills.
*Confederation of British industry (CBI)
survey 2011
What this means in the work place
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Not being confident enough to look
people in the eye, speak clearly,
answer the phone, engage in polite
conversation and express your own
opinions.
Arriving late, being disorganised,
expecting help for simple tasks.
Messy writing with basic errors, not
listening to instructions and
difficulty reading for information.
WOULD YOU EMPLOY SOMEONE
LIKE THIS?
The Skills Developed in English
Handling Information, Critical Thinking,
Persuasion, Creativity and Innovation,
Empathy and Social Responsibility
Information Literacy
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Being able to read
documents and e mails
for information.
Recording information in
a clear and reliable
way.
Communicating clear
information to others
through writing or
talking.
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“Writing clearly means
organizing content logically
and appropriately for the
subject and reader. Sentences
should be clear and concise.
You also need to organize
these into coherent
paragraphs that convey the
relevant information in the
most effective way.”
SkillSoft – business eLearning
provider
Skillsoft Website
Information Literacy
In each of the
jobs shown here
employees have
to use literacy
skills. Recording
information is
essential for
doctors dealing
with medical
records,
interviewing a
witnesses to a
crime,
organising retail
services or
running your
own business.
Police
Officers
Receptionist
Innovators
Health
professionals
Critical Thinking
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Exercising sound reasoning in
understanding
Making complex choices and
decisions
Understanding interconnections in
systems and situations
Identifying and asking significant
questions that clarify various
points of view and lead to better
ideas and outcomes
Framing, analyzing and
synthesizing information in order
to solve problems and answer
questions

“Being critical in academic life
does not mean questioning
things randomly, or for the
sake of ‘nit-picking’. Critical
thinking is the attempt to ask
and answer questions
systematically. This means
seeing things from all sides.
This means asking the most
useful questions in the most
productive sequence in order
to yield a coherent and
credible ‘story’.” University of
Plymouth
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking
helps you to
reason and to
make informed
judgement. By
developing
your own
opinions you
can promote
your ideas and
beliefs more
clearly. You
can engage in
debate with
those who
believe
differently and
make a
difference.
Lawyer
“Rebels don't
produce change,
because they are
fanning their own
anger. You have to
learn to save your
outrage and focus.”
Campaigner/
Event organiser
Shami Chakrabarti –
Director of Liberty, human
rights organisation
Politician
Persuasion
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Examining how
individuals interpret
messages differently,
how values and points
of view are included or
excluded and how
individuals and groups
can influence beliefs
and behaviours.
Convincing others that
something is of value.
Persuading consumers to
choose your brand.

Persuasion happens as a
result of the effective
communication of ideas
via the personality of
the speaker.
Persuasion and Presentation
Convincing
other people of
your stance is a
crucial element
in many roles.
Persuading
people to
choose your
brand or
product is a key
role in many
sales roles.
Management
roles also
involve
persuading
others to share
your view.
Advertising
Retail/Sales
Business
Management
Estate Agent
Creativity and Innovation
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The ability to show
originality and
inventiveness in work.
Developing, implementing
and communicating new
ideas to others.
Being open and
responsive to new ideas.
Acting on creative ideas to
make new objects, new
texts or to improve
existing ones.
“Creativity is just connecting
things. When you ask creative
people how they did something,
they feel a little guilty because
they didn't really do it, they just
saw something. It seemed obvious
to them after a while. That's
because they were able to
connect experiences they've had
and create new things.”
Steve Jobs
Creativity and Innovation
People who
are creative
can use this
skill in a
number of
different
roles. The
ability to think
differently
about a
situation can
create new
opportunities
for yourself
and your
employer.
Writer
“Creativity is as
important now in
education as
literacy and we
should treat it
with the same
status.”
Social
Commentator
Teacher – Sir
Ken Robinson
Media
Entrepreneur
Empathy and Social Responsibility
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The ability to think
about how someone
else feels.
Understanding how
other people live and
acknowledging the
issues in their lives.
Showing respect and
concern for everyone
in society and in other
cultures.
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“There is absolutely no
single aspect of one’s
personality that is more
important to develop than
empathy. I believe
empathy is not only the
core of art, literature and
music, but should also be
at the core of society,
from ethics to economics.“
Chris Ware –
Cartoonist/Graphic Artist
Empathy and Social Responsibility
The ability to
understand
how other
people feel is
essential in
developing
good
relationships in
your personal
life as well as
at work. Many
jobs require a
strong sense of
social justice
and
responsibility.
Fundraiser/Charity
organiser
International
relations/development
Occupational
Therapist
Social work
English Related Jobs
What specific careers are possible through
further study of English?
English Related Jobs
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Literacy skills are the
building blocks that allow
you to succeed in ALL
areas of work.
A good standard of
Talking, Listening, Reading
and Writing will be
expected by all employers.
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Further study of English
can lead to a wide range
of jobs in many different
areas of life.
Business leaders are
increasingly looking for
creative and critical
thinkers with English in
their degree.
This is because students of
English can learn to be
ADAPTABLE – a key skill in
a rapidly changing
employment landscape.
English Related Jobs
These are just
a few of the
jobs that
English can
lead you to.
There are
many, many
others.
English Graduates…
Rachel
Weisz Actress
Stephen
King Author
Sting Musician
Natasha
Kaplinsky –
Newsreader
Danny Boyle
- Director
Paul Ackford –
Rugby
Internationalist