Sussex Centre for Language Studies

Career resources and opportunities

 

Language teaching opportunies at the Unviersity of Sussex (from September 2013)

The Sussex Centre for Language Studies (SCLS) offers a range of Open Courses in modern languages, at a variety of levels. These language courses are aimed at the general public and held on our campus near Brighton, offering the opportunity to study a language within the context of its culture on a weekly basis.

Linked to this initiative, SCLS is seeking to expand its pool of hourly paid Associate Tutors to teach on a range of courses in the following languages:
Chinese, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swahili and Turkish.

Essential requirements:

Suitable applicants will have at least a first degree in an appropriate subject area, experience in teaching adults and a postgraduate teaching qualification.

For these AT posts, it is also essential that candidates already have the right to live and work in the United Kingdom and live within a commutable distance of the main University campus.

The University of Sussex is committed to equality of opportunity and we encourage diversity in the workplace.

Interested candidates should send a CV setting out their teaching experience and qualifications to opencourses@sussex.ac.uk; or by post to:
The Open Courses Coordinator, Arts A70, Sussex Centre for Language Studies, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9SH.

Languages Work is the national information resource on careers with languages, from CILT (the National Centre for Languages).

Studying Languages at university is full of good advice from current undergraduates on how to boost your employability during your study as well as after your degree.

Sussex's Careers and Employability Centre have a section for language students as well as plenty on international work and study and conversely lots of information on jobhunting for international students. They also offer:

  • Briefing Sessions: 30 minutes every lunchtime throughout every term (covering CVs, internships, job search, further study and all things careers) are available for students to book into.
  • SussexPlus online webfolios: weekly introduction sessions available as well as online support.
  • Career Exploration in Arts and Humanities Workshop runs termly for students unclear or uncertain about their options after Sussex.
  • One to one careers advice sessions run from 10 – 5pm and late night on Wednesday til 7pm. 
  • Employer events and careers adviser sessions.
  • Jobs, placements, term-time work and internships - search their database, and check their feed of jobs from around the web.
  • Careers news - register for email alerts to be sent to you.

Skillclouds can help you to understand and articulate the skills you are developing on your degree.

Fulfil your global potential! British graduates with language skills (including lawyers, engineers and scientists) are highly sought after by European Union institutions. The UK represents 12% of the EU population but only 4.8% of EU staff, and in the 2010 recruitment round the UK had the lowest number of applications of all member states (1.5%). The Foreign Office is concerned about this and has produced a guide to EU careers.

Modern languages page at Prospects (the offical UK graduate careers site) covers job options and career areas, but also has a useful summary of skills and case studies.

Jobs websites

University of East Anglia careers service have a good set of links for language-related jobs.

Thirdyearabroad.com's Jobs Board

Our alumni

BA in French (2011): Set up a translation and interpreting agency wIth another Sussex graduate in French. 'Our passion for language stems from our time at Sussex. As graduates in French, we have used this passion and skills learnt to establish LanguageNow, a professional language solutions company. We offer translation, interpreting, proofreading, certification, typesetting and a range of other services and are hoping to expand in to language learning. Sussex taught us the value of global cultures and this plays an intrinsic role in how we operate as a company. In addition, the strong focus on translation and interpreting practice and methods during our final year has provided us with an invaluable grounding in the field. We would like to thank the language department at Sussex for the quality of teaching that has inspired us to form this company and we are proudly affiliated with the University.'

BA in Art History and Spanish (2010): Publisher's Assistant for an arts-based publisher 'liaising daily with the Foreign Language department which demands use of my Spanish language. I love the job and am very happy that it makes use of both my Sussex majors.'

BA in French and Spanish (2010): Translation Co-ordinator at one of the biggest translation companies in England. 'I am using my Spanish and French language skills and I am the direct contact between the corporate clients, the translators and the lawyers. I have to constantly use my languages to read through the patent documents ... Languages at Sussex gave me a great insight into the appropriate skills needed to work in the translation industry.'

BA in Anthropology and Italian (2005): External Relations Officer at UNAIDS in Geneva.

 

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