WHAT GRADUATES SAY ABOUT LEARNING A LANGUAGE

Fiona Killilea (Graduate, The Hotel School, 1992)

"I am extremely grateful to GMIT for affording me a fantastic start in the Hotel business. The course and placement officers were superb in ensuring that we had to go abroad for a year on placement. The fact is that we came back with a greater insight into the level of standards hotels in Europe are adhering to.

"The language barrier is difficult at first, however, most of us were fluent on our return. Language skills are imperative in the Hotel industry as Ireland would have a number of groups from France, Germany or Spain and their menus have to be translated, guests may have a problem in their bedroom (not being able to work air conditioning unit) and having personnel on the premises that understand their requests ensures that the customer is well looked after. The customer is king, and although it may seem trivial, it is the little touches that make the difference between a good 3/4/5 star hotel and a great one.

"As a hotel manager, I would have particular interest in employing graduates with a language over those without."

Deirdre Murray (Graduate, School of Business, 2007)

Marketing Executive, Glanbia, Dublin

"Having studied French in school, there was no question but to continue to study it at GMIT.

"As part of the ERASMUS exchange programme, I spent my Third year in the South of France. Living and studying in Toulouse allowed me to build a high level of fluency in French and it had a fantastic cultural and social aspect to it also.

"Currently I am employed by Glanbia plc and work in the Consumer Foods Division. One of the requirements was to be able to speak a foreign language.

"Studying French has opened so many doors for me and today, with the increasingly global nature of business, a European language is a must for all graduates.

"Bonne chance!"

Donal Warde (Graduate, School of Business, 2006)

Director of Warde Property, Nice

"While studying at GMIT, I had the opportunity to spend one year in Nice on an ERASMUS exchange. After graduating, I moved to France and was able to open my own business.

"At secondary school, I didn't see French as anything other than another subject. But after living in a country where the language is spoken, you realise the importance straight away. I cannot imagine having had the opportunity to open a business in France without having a good level of French. It opens doors. It creates a rapport with French people. Even if they speak English, they appreciate the effort you make in their mother tongue.

"Learning another language also changes the way you think and look at the world. When you speak the language, you speak the culture: at the end of the day, language is a reflection of the culture of the country."