Have you ever thought about learning Spanish for work? Of all the things that you could do to pursue a new job, a raise, a promotion or just more satisfaction at work, one of the wisest investments is learning Spanish. No matter what field you work in (or want to work in), the ability to speak Spanish can really pay off and supercharge your career.
Students who have been part of Fluency Corp’s Spanish language training programs have experienced this again and again. Learning Spanish for work opens doors for them to new opportunities and new levels of success. Here are just a few reasons you may want to consider Spanish classes to advance your career.
Speaking Spanish Can Help You Get an International Job
More than one-third of U.S. adults are interested in living in another country. If you’re part of that group, how can you make this dream true? Well, learning Spanish is one of the most powerful things you can do to open up your opportunities to work internationally.
Spanish is widely spoken around the globe. Only Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers. By 2050, 754 million people globally will speak Spanish, and there are 20 countries where Spanish is the official language.
Spanish-Speaking Workers Are Needed in the U.S.
Learning Spanish for work is still beneficial even if you have no plans to move outside of the U.S. The number of Spanish speakers in this country is increasing. By 2060, the U.S. will have more Spanish speakers than any other country except Mexico.
Throughout the U.S., companies need more workers skilled in Spanish. That need is particularly large in areas with large Hispanic populations, which include some of the hottest cities in the U.S. right now for relocations. More than half of the fastest-growing U.S. cities are located in either Florida, where more than one-fifth of all households primarily use Spanish at home, or Texas, where more than one-quarter do.
(A quick aside here: Not everyone in the U.S. who is of Hispanic origin speaks Spanish, and many, many U.S. Spanish speakers are also proficient in English and use it outside the home.)
Business Leaders Speak Spanish
In some occupations, it’s especially important to have some Spanish fluency. If you lead a workforce that includes a significant number of Spanish speakers, learning their language is an invaluable way to connect with your employees and show respect for them.
That’s why Envoy Air chose to work with Fluency Corp. Envoy wanted its leaders to better understand the culture of the different countries that its Spanish-speaking employees are originally from.
Through Fluency Corp’s language instruction, executives learned how to hold conversations in Spanish with employees about topics such as their families and how long they have worked for the company. By speaking to employees in their native language, Envoy executives are now building respect and collaboration.
We Need Nurses and Doctors Who Speak Spanish
The U.S. healthcare system has a shortage of professionals who speak Spanish. Less than 6% of physicians in the U.S. are Spanish speakers. There’s also a need for more nurses who can speak Spanish.
For healthcare professionals who need to communicate in Spanish with their patients and their families, a couple of semesters of language study back in college just won’t cut it. A general Spanish class doesn’t cover medical terminology like “intubate” or “hospice.”
If you work in healthcare and want to improve your Spanish skills, you should seek out Spanish training that’s customized to the needs of your profession.
Spanish is an Advantage in Travel Jobs
Learning Spanish can give you an edge in landing travel and tourism jobs. It can also boost your paycheck. For example, bilingual flight attendants are more likely to be assigned to international flights, which means more time in the air — which means more money.
Additionally, the U.S. Hispanic market is increasingly important to the travel and hospitality industry. U.S. Hispanic travelers spend almost $115 billion on domestic travel annually.
Spanish Speakers Have Opportunities in Entertainment
Did you know that U.S. Latinos account for almost one-fourth of streaming service subscribers and movie ticket buyers, even though they’re only 19% of the population? Meanwhile, more film and TV shoots are moving to Mexico, and revenue from Latino music is increasing faster than it is for the music industry as a whole.
Demand Is Growing for Spanish-Speaking Educators
We’re big advocates for bilingual and dual-language education as a way to help both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking kids grow up comfortable with both languages. But to educate a generation of bilingual kids, we need more bilingual teachers. Some states are even launching new programs to address this shortage.
Learning Spanish Expands Your Mind
Maybe nothing else in this article really applies to you, but you’re still interested in learning Spanish. Is it still worth the investment to take classes? Absolutely! Learning a second language can have some unexpected payoffs for your career. Becoming bilingual improves your intelligence, attention and other skills that can make you more creative and innovative.
Learn Spanish and Get Hired
We hope you’re feeling sold on the benefits of learning Spanish for work. So how do you go about it? What kind of Spanish language training is most effective? Here are a few tips for selecting a training option that will help you build Spanish fluency quickly.
- Working with an instructor who’s a native Spanish speaker will help you get a better sense of how the language is actually spoken in real-life situations.
- You’ll also want to find out whether an instructor has specific training in teaching Spanish to non-native speakers.
- For best results, work with an instructor who has at least two years of experience teaching Spanish to professional adults.
- Your Spanish classes should be customized to your needs at work. You don’t want to waste your time on cookie-cutter lessons. Instead, your lessons should center on building the vocabulary you need in your specific field and for the situations you engage in every day.
At Fluency Corp, we’ve helped professionals in all fields develop the Spanish skills they need for career success. Questions about how to get started with learning Spanish for work? Reach out! We’ll be in touch.
