The Business of Language East Midlands issue 19 - November 2008
Welcome to the 19th edition of The Business of Language, the free monthly ezine from the Regional Language Network East Midlands. In this issue we bring you news from the latest language reports, review our Business Language Champions networking event and invite you to feed back on the new Diploma in Languages.
Networking event champions languages and business 
On 4th November 2008 the RLN held a joint event with emda-based initiative Business Champions to raise awareness of the RLN's ongoing project Business Language Champions. The two initiatives rely on employer 
engagement to help them achieve their aims, so running a joint event was a great way of raising the profile of both projects.
The Business Language Champions project seeks to recruit business people from the region to help school children see the relevance of and need for languages in today's globalised and multicultural society.
Business Champions is a programme created and funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda), which recruits high-calibre proactive business figures to support a range of projects where a commercial perspective is needed.
The event was a huge success with over 50 delegates attending. It started with a welcome address from Tom Carslake of the Business Champions team, followed by a keynote speech by Tim Nicol, Business Champion and Director of East Midlands-based Make Innovation Happen.
To round-off, delegates heard from Lorraine Harris, Director of Classic Motos and Matthew Purslow, Head of MFL at English Martyrs School in Leicester. They outlined their successful Business Language Champions partnership and how this had enthused pupils and made them understand the relevance of languages in today's society. Uptake of GCSE languages has since risen at English Martyrs, bucking the national trend.
The event concluded with a buffet lunch, networking and a chance to find out more about both schemes.
The RLN is currently looking for individuals and businesses in the region who can spare a few hours to share their experience of languages with local schools. Last year we helped eight schools to raise the profile of languages, with many more benefiting from the presentations, languages quizzes, company visits and authentic language tasks organised as part of the programme.
If your school or business would like to become involved in the programme please contact the RLN or visit our website for more information.
For further details on the Business Champions initiative please visit the Business Champions website.
Pictured, from left to right: (back) David Sly-Jex, Business Language Champion, Tim Nicol, Business Champion and (front) Karen Illsley, Business Language Champions Project Manager, Sally Fagan, Business Language Champion and Suzannah Hutton, RLN Manager.
Opportunity to share your enthusiasm for languages
Each month we'll be offering you the opportunity to get involved in our popular Business Language Champions programme, which links schools with local businesses to encourage students to continue with their language learning. This month we are looking for a business or individual who can spare a few hours to give a motivating language talk at a school in South Northants.
The school is keen to demonstrate to students the relevance of languages in the workplace and how such skills could be beneficial in their chosen careers even if they don't have a languages degree.
To find out more information about this opportunity please contact Karen Illsley, BLC Project Manager, at karen@illsley.fsnet.co.uk or visit our website for more details on the Business Language Champions programme.
Languages News
According to the recently published Follett review, languages have retained their status as Strategically Important and Vulnerable Subjects (SIVS). The report now recommends that a framework is established to integrate SIVS activities into employer engagement and emphasise skills in the workplace.
Language graduates are in the money according to a new report which explores the early careers of graduates, focussing on those who have graduated in SIVS such as languages.
The report describes the characteristics of graduates from UK higher education and their progression into work or further study and the effect their choice of subjects has on their early careers.
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Particularly, the report states:
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You can download the full Follett Review from The HEFCE website.
Register your feedback for Diploma in Languages
The Diploma in Languages is an exciting new qualification for students aged 14-19, which is due to be launched in schools from 2011. Six regional events are taking place in January 2009 to consult on the draft Line of Learning Statements for the Diploma in Languages - alongside Statements for the other Phase 4 Diplomas in Science and Humanities.
These events folllow on from previous consultation events in September and October and give a final opportunity for those in business, schools, higher education, further education and other stakeholders to give their feedback.
Places are limited so please take time to select your preferred date and venue as soon as possible. You can register for events on the QCA website. Events are taking place in:
Leeds - 15 January
Newcastle - 19 January
Manchester - 20 January
Birmingham - 23 January
Bristol - 27 January
London - 30 January
Click here to register for updates and invites to consultation events or visit the Diploma in Languages website for further information.
Applications now open for European Award for Languages
The search is on for the UK's most innovative language projects, as applications open for next year's European Award for Languages. Schools, colleges, adult education and community projects are invited to apply for the prestigious award ahead of the deadline on 30 January 2009.
The European Award for Languages is a Europe-wide initiative which recognises creative ways to improve the quality of language teaching, motivate students and make the best of available resources. To qualify for an award, language projects must provide an inspiration to others, be replicable and involve any language other than English.
Shortlisted projects will be visited by a panel of judges, who will compile a list of the UK's most innovative language projects. Winners will receive their award from CILT's patron, Sir Trevor McDonald, at a prize-giving ceremony in the summer, where one project will be selected by the Mary Glasgow Trust to receive its annual award of £2,000.
Last year Haddon Primary and Nursery School in Nottingham won an award for their Christopher Columbus language and content integrated project, so it would be great to see the region represented again in this year's honours list.
To find out more information or to apply for an award please visit the CILT website.
Accounting for the benefits of international payroll Do you have employees abroad? Do you plan to send employees abroad in the future? Do you plan to open your business internationally? It can be a time consuming and expensive job to coordinate the payroll for international employees. There are so many confusing elements to consider, factors to account for and different levels of legislation to adhere to that it can often take months just to find all the information you'll need to set up overseas. Once you have considered all the details relating to your entity, you then have to think about paying your employees - another time consuming and complicated project. Factors like taxes paid by state, additonal payments, local council taxes, country-wide government taxes, local entity registrations, currency conversions, obtaining currencies in the relevant country and buying power for currency are just a few elements to consider for international payments. One solution would be to outsource your payroll to a Payroll Bureau. They will take care of your payroll requirements and ensure that your one point-of-contact in the UK co-ordinates your payroll efficiently. You can also relax in the knowledge that all relevant legislation has been adhered to and all tax-related issues have been dealt with. Outsourcing to a payroll bureau will also free up your time to concentrate on business and client retention in this financially tense period. If you currently pay your international employees in-house, it will probably be cheaper to outsource your payroll and most payroll bureaus will also take your UK payroll on board too, saving you valuable time and money. It is a good idea to get a quote to outsource your payroll so you can compare it with your current payroll methods - you would be under no obligation to use the payroll bureau in question. PBS UK Ltd is a Nottingham-based payroll bureau with more than two decades experience and portfolios of 68 payroll providers in 63 countries including the UK. To obtain further information on payroll outsourcing please contact PBS on 0115 985 3199 or visit the PBS website.