Author: Gosia Jaros-White

Minimum Language Requirements Are Not Enough to Keep Our Skies Safe!

A terrifying mid-air collision in 2017 was caused by two international pilot trainees who both lacked basic English language proficiency. One of the pilots was severely injured, the other pilot died. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released a report on the crash that occurred between two flight school airplanes near St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec. The […]

You May Have to Remain Silent, If You Don’t Understand the Language of Your Arrest

Interactions between police and citizens can either be friendly, community building events, or frightening, emotion-laden, traumatic crises fraught with peril and fear. In either case, communication and process are facilitated when both sides speak the same language. However, given the growing multilingual makeup of U.S. society, there are often differences of language between the police […]

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Getting Ahead in the Infotech World

Information technology is the study, design, and development of computer systems and networks, and it’s one of the most important fields of the future. Millions of jobs have been created by IT, as it plays a vital role in every aspect of modern-day life. The tech world is full of different languages – JavaScript, Ruby […]

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The Most Useful Languages to Learn in 2018

There are so many good reasons to learn a new language. Language skills are more sought-after than ever in the business world, with the number of bi or multilingual job offerings doubling in the United States alone in a five year period. An official language certification leads to increased job opportunities, instills confidence, and creates […]

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The Bilingual Call Center Agent

Call center agents today are polite, informative and solution-oriented. Companies providing stellar service also know it is critical to have certified bilingual call center agents if you want to satisfy your customers, regardless of the language they speak. Call center representatives are responsible for creating a positive relationship with the customer, while simultaneously upholding the […]

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Mistakes to Avoid When Conducting Business Globally

Moving your business abroad can open new opportunities. In our hyperconnected world, approaching new global markets is easier than it’s ever been. Still, conducting business globally isn’t without its difficulties – new languages, cultural norms and business customs, if not planned for, might get in the way of a successful international plan. Here are some […]

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#AWarmerWelcome: The True Spirit of Hospitality

What’s one of the biggest worries people have when traveling? Hint: It stops more than 30% of travelers from embracing new and different destinations and accommodations. Booking.com surveyed 20,500 global travelers about various travel topics, including travel ambitions, trip planning habits and biggest fears. Nearly 30% of the people surveyed agreed that one of their […]

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When Miscommunication Turns Deadly: The True Story of Avianca Flight 52

What Happened? In January 1990, Avianca Flight 52 from Bogota, Colombia, to New York City, was running out of fuel on approach to John F. Kennedy International Airport. Due to weather conditions, the aircraft was kept in a holding pattern prior to landing, even though its fuel situation was critical. The flight crew communicated the […]

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How To Improve Communication With Multilingual Patients In Healthcare Environments

The number of foreign language speakers in the United States has increased an impressive 90% since 1990. There are 38.4 million Spanish speakers reported in the US. The next most common language is Chinese, with 3 million speakers, followed by 1.6 million Tagalog speakers, 1.4 million Vietnamese speakers and 1.3 million French speakers. These populations […]

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Let’s Talk About It, Language Proficiency in the Workplace

We’re operating in a global economy. As a result, competition is far reaching, and companies are increasingly finding themselves at a competitive disadvantage when employees lack the functional language skills needed to do their job. These companies should be considering the following questions; are your employees actually qualified to communicate in another language effectively? How […]

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