|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Back to university for GCHQ linguists |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
GCHQ is launching an initiative, which will see linguists reaching out to universities to help promote the study of foreign languages. At a time when university admissions are increasing in the UK, the number of students taking language degrees is falling dramatically. This could impact on the work of GCHQ, probably the largest employer of professional linguists in the country, and the intelligence centre is taking positive steps to reverse this trend. Senior linguists at GCHQ will be contacting universities across the UK that specialise in language degrees, providing an insight into GCHQ language work on offer to language graduates. A spokesperson commented: "Initiatives to promote language in UK schools have proved successful, as evidenced by the introduction of rarer languages into some local schools' curricula and pupils opting for languages, due in part to our association with these schools. Following on from this success, our linguists are keen to reach out to universities with the aim of raising the profile of language careers at GCHQ. We want to build on our relationship with these academic institutions." To this end, an Open Day has been organised for 6 October, which representatives from 22 universities will be attending, to give them a flavour of language work at GCHQ and establish links for the future. The spokesperson continued: "It's essential that we maintain a cadre of top quality linguists at GCHQ, and we very much hope that this initiative will encourage university students to study languages, especially those less commonly taught, and then hopefully consider a career with us." The organisation boasts a large number of linguists, specialising in over 70 languages, who are key players in providing HM Government with intelligence that helps counter threats from terrorists, serious crime and weapons proliferation programmes, and also lends support to Allied Forces' operations. The languages cover a broad spectrum, with the current focus on Middle Eastern and Asian languages, with excellent opportunities to retrain. 3 October 2006 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
