City of Westminster College students studying Level 3 OCR Diploma in Business had the opportunity to find out more about the value of Public Relations in business, at a recent presentation by Italian businesswoman Luisa Vogliolo-Welch.
The visit was part of a project at the College for the LinkedUp Award Scheme, which is sponsored by Association for Language Learning, University of Leicester and Links Into Languages. LinkedUp encourages projects that develop language skills and City of Westminster College has developed a programme that enables OCR Diploma students to develop their business skills within the context of using languages.
The students, who are all aged 16-19 are incorporating other European languages into their studies as part of the Customer Services aspect of the OCR Diploma. Most already speak at least one other language – either as their native tongue or through study at NVQ or GCSE level. These language skills are being developed further through classroom and practical exercises.
Luisa, who owns a restaurant public relations firm, was there to explain just how important this aspect of marketing communications is to business success. As an Italian based in London she was also able to explain the commercial value of being able to communicate with clients in more than one language.
Luisa says: 'It was very rewarding to meet so many students with such a keen interest in integrating other languages in their future work, not only in terms of speaking them, but in terms of communicating internationally in business. They were most interested in media communication, and I sincerely hope that many of them will enter this exciting profession.”
OCR in Business Lecturer Anna Motzo, who teaches the students Italian and developed the LinkedUp project, has devised a range of other exciting language-in-business opportunities. Recently the students went to work behind the counter in a busy London deli – and spent a morning communicating only in Italian. In the future they will be working with leading coffee maker Lavazza on advertising and focus group projects.
Thursday, April 22, 2010