Commitment to Enhancing Employee-Customer Relations

customer service employee at an airport talking to a passangerThe landscape of today’s marketplace is highly focused on the quality of relationships. There are clear connections between employee satisfaction and customer experience, but there are other connections between employees and customers—such as language. How can language, and a commitment to language, redefine employee-customer relations?

As Alex Shashkevich, of Stanford News, writes, “​​people speak roughly 7,000 languages worldwide. Although there is a lot in common among languages, each one is unique, both in its structure and in the way it reflects the culture of the people who speak it.”[1] The sheer number of languages spoken around the world highlights how important it is to view language as a connector rather than a barrier. ACTFL assessments administered by Language Testing International (LTI) are just that—the unifier between employees and customers. Nowhere is proof of this connection more apparent than with the partnership between LTI and JetBlue.

Responsible for the safety and experience of more than 30 million customers in 86 global cities, JetBlue relies on Language Testing International as their language certification partner to reshape how their employees engage with their customers.

JetBlue’s Global Scholars Program supports their multilingual crewmembers with academic and career opportunities. From providing college-level credit to language proficiency testing and certification in speaking, reading, and writing comprehension, LTI has made it possible for many of JetBlue’s 20,000+ crewmembers to certify their language skills and earn entire semester(s’) worth of credits towards a higher education degree. In turn, these JetBlue crewmembers become better equipped to serve those 30 million customers as they remain linguistically connected from city to city. There are numerous reasons why multilingualism benefits companies, building employee/customer trust being just one of them. Employees who speak with customers in their native language create a connection and bring a sense of familiarity and comfort, in turn improving customer satisfaction.

Become the connector! Visit www.languagetesting.com to redefine what employee-customer relationships mean to you.

To learn more about how JetBlue is utilizing LTI’s services, listen to our podcast with Nicole Lembo, Manager of Talent Management and Academic Programs at JetBlue Airways.

READ MORE –> Business Benefits of Multilingualism

 

Sources:

[1]https://news.stanford.edu/2019/08/22/the-power-of-language-how-words-shape-people-culture/

Earn While You Learn

Young professionals in a business setting At Language Testing International (LTI), we know that it can be intimidating to think of language in the context of evaluation. Terms such as “testing,” “examination,” and “certificates” can be stressful or off-putting.

But what if we told you that your native or second language(s)—those you already speak, read, and/or write—could count towards an entire semester’s worth of college credits, increase your employability, and increase your eligibility for different jobs altogether?

While ACTFL language proficiency testing, delivered exclusively by LTI, does require you to take an assessment and provides you with a certificate of completion, the process is meant for you to showcase your current knowledge. If you have learned how to speak, read, and write in a second language, either at home or by studying or living abroad, you may be more prepared for our tests than you think!

Most native-language speakers take ACTFL Language Proficiency tests without any prior studying. The tests only take approximately one hour to complete and are organized by skill— speaking, reading, listening, and writing. The format of the tests is flexible and allows you to show your strengths in the various language skills.

Your ACTFL Proficiency Certificate, when used the right way, can transform your career! For instance, take a look at how the JetBlue Global Scholars Program is using language proficiency testing through LTI to help its multilingual crewmembers advance in their education and work opportunities.

JetBlue Global Scholars Program offers the airline’s crewmembers the opportunity to earn a fully-accredited associate or bachelor’s degree that includes major cost coverage, required licenses, certifications, transfer course credits, as well as job experience and JetBlue training.

Together with ACTFL language proficiency testing, JetBlue’s Global Scholars Program actuates these goals by assisting their multilingual crewmembers in obtaining certificates for their résumé and receiving a considerable number of college credits.

Typically, a bachelor’s-level college course is worth 3 credits, with the full degree totaling around 120 credits. With each of ACTFL Proficiency Test, a JetBlue crewmember can earn around 9–12 credits toward their higher education degree! If the crewmember takes a test for each of the four language skills, they can earn upwards of 35-40 credits, which is equivalent to multiple semesters’ worth of course credits. Again, this process is for a native or second language that a person already knows how to speak, read, and/or write!

Ultimately, the success is evident. After receiving certification and/or credits, many graduates ascend to new roles within the company or become eligible for more flight routes as a direct result of their language testing scores and their degree, through the JetBlue Global Scholars Program. Now, that’s how you EARN WHILE YOU LEARN!

Get certified and gain your college credit and competitive advantage. Visit www.languagetesting.com to get started today!

Business Benefits of Multilingualism

Flight attendant assisting a passanger In our increasingly globalized world, there is a growing need for a multilingual workforce. The demand for multilingual employees more than doubled between 2010 and 2015.[1] The workforce has continued to evolve since then, particularly as a consequence of the Covid pandemic: as of 2021, there has been a 30% increase in bilingual remote jobs.[2] Multilingual employees bring undeniable value to the workplace, helping to build a culturally diverse workforce, which in turns allows for fresh ideas and perspectives in creating new business solutions. They also help with the expansion into global markets and the building of employee/customer trust.

How do businesses keep pace with a changing society and marketplace that continues to demand multilingual skillsets? The answer is in understanding that personal employee success and business success are not mutually exclusive. One way to ensure employee and business achievement is through a commitment to prioritizing career advancement that includes multilingualism.

JetBlue, as a prime example, offers employees the opportunity to fast track their degree programs. In 2016, they launched their Global Scholars Program to advance the educational and professional opportunities of their employees. Within this program, employees, in all positions, can earn a fully accredited associate or bachelor’s degree. Employees can apply past courses, required licenses and certifications, and even on-the-job experience, including JetBlue training toward their academic degrees and earn college credit.

Multilingual employees can also earn college credits by demonstrating proficiency in other known languages. For that, JetBlue has partnered with Language Testing International (LTI) to provide multilingual employees with the opportunity to take language tests. LTI administers ACTFL assessments – the gold standard in language proficiency testing and certification. ACTFL assessments, which are recognized by the American Council on Education (ACE), offer the opportunity for multilingual speakers, readers, and writers to earn college credits and/or linguistic certifications. “Someone who is a native speaker, or who is at the expert-level in a language, can get 9 to 12 credits for a couple of the ACTFL assessments. That is a huge benefit to our crewmembers in the program,” says Nicole Lembo, the Manager of Talent Management/Academic Programs at JetBlue.

The success of the Global Scholars Program is evident for both the employees and for JetBlue. With the help of LTI and ACTFL, crewmembers at JetBlue not only have the opportunity to complete an academic degree without having to return to school, but many ascend to new roles within the company. Employees who complete the program also “tend to be more engaged with the company, tend to be more loyal to JetBlue, and they stay longer,” says Lembo. Attracting and retaining talent in today’s economy is key to success. Lembo says, “When our crewmembers who already speak another language are able to become certified by ACTFL, it is not only valuable on a resume but even more exciting for us. Our employees have the opportunity to earn credits towards a bachelor’s degree. Ultimately, we are able to provide education to incoming talent, a huge part of the value proposition when it comes to recruitment. If you are going to be the employer of choice in today’s labor market where everybody is fighting for talent as we’re coming out of Covid, you have to offer more than a paycheck.” Recognizing and investing in employees’ multilingual skills can certainly contribute to a company’s competitiveness and ultimate transition to the global stage.

Administering ACTFL assessments and partnering with LTI can ultimately serve as the catalyst to help you elevate your employees’ academic and professional experiences and expand your business. To get your employees certified visit ​​www.languagetesting.com.

To learn more about JetBlue’s experience partnering with LTI listen to our podcast in which Nicole Lembo discusses how JetBlue is leveraging LTI’s Language Proficiency Testing to help the company’s employees further their academic and career advancement.

Sources:

[1]https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/press-release/demand-for-bilingual-workers-more-than-doubled-in-5-years-new-report-shows/ and http://www.newamericaneconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NAE_Bilingual_V9.pdf

[2]https://www.techrepublic.com/article/bilingual-remote-jobs-have-spiked-30-since-start-of-covid-19/

Showcase Your Bilingual Superpower

As a Latino professional, you may often have been asked about your heritage or cultural background, and questions or comments about your appearance being “exotic” or your speech having an “accent” are off-putting. However, there are opportunities for you to showcase your multicultural competencies and show that language is your superpower.

There are over 559 million Spanish speakers globally, 460 million of whom are native speakers. In the U.S., Spanish is spoken in approximately 13% of households and it is becoming more mainstream because the Hispanic population is growing. So, you are not alone! ¡No estás solo! With the immersion of Spanish into all aspects of American daily living and projections stating that 1 in 3 people in the U.S. will speak Spanish by 2050, this is your opportunity to utilize the benefits of being bilingual.  Here are a few areas where Spanish language proficiency certifications can be beneficial to let people know that – “Yo hablo inglés y español”:

Personal and professional development

Research from the University of Washington has shown that toddlers who speak two or more languages have more frontal lobe activity than those who speak one language.  What does that mean for you? Dual language speakers have enhanced memory, focus, and multitasking skills.  The transition between one language to another helps to enhance your flexibility when dealing with different situations, making them less challenging—particularly as it relates to diverse cultural contexts. The expanded mental capacity helps to enhance your opportunities for personal growth and professional development.

Competitive advantage and expanded opportunities

A recent study conducted for ACTFL (formerly known as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) found that “nine out of 10 U.S. employers report a reliance on U.S.-based employees with language skills other than English, with one-third (32 percent) reporting a high dependency.” This means that not only is your bilingual superpower needed by employers, but it is also a valuable asset which will allow you to seize opportunities to further your career. ¡Súper!

You can obtain official certification of Spanish language proficiency by taking an ACTFL test administered by Language Testing International (LTI). Obtaining language proficiency certification will allow you to officially confirm your language competency to potential and current employers. This gives you a distinct professional advantage in the U.S. and the global marketplace and broadens your career options. A certification also comes with an official digital badge through Credly, which you can proudly display in your professional profile online and on your résumé.

College credit

Did you know you can earn college credit for being bilingual? You can earn semesters’ worth of college credit by obtaining an official certification of proficiency. ACTFL assessments measure your language ability and proficiency regardless of whether you learned the language in school or at home. Many higher education institutions will award college credits based on the official certification. You can get closer to your degree just by being bilingual!

Business and leisure travel experiences

Having the ability to speak English and Spanish means that you do not have to cope with the language barriers that monolingual travelers experience when they are in culturally diverse situations or while visiting any of the Spanish-speaking countries in the world, of which there are over 20. Your bilingual capabilities afford you the ability to effectively communicate with others, easily navigate diverse destinations, and authentically engage in the experience. The cultural and language exposure that travel offers creates opportunities to expand your horizons and enrich your life, both personally and professionally.

Quality of mental health and a life’s journey

The benefits of being bilingual as a child and as we age have been researched and debated at length. In a 2018 article from the Washington Post, Psycholinguist Mark Antoniou of Western Sydney University in Australia proposes that being bilingual benefits the brain, especially as we age, and encourages the use of multiple languages on a regular basis to possibly delay the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. He suggests that, as the brain ages, it begins to deteriorate and that being bilingual can help to establish alternate brain networks and connections known as cognitive compensation.

So, whether you use your bilingual superpowers as a means for personal growth, career advancement, enhanced travel experiences (for business or pleasure), or keeping your mind active, being bilingual supports a life-long journey with many benefits. Australian multi-lingual philosopher Ludwig Witterstein said it best, “the limits of my language means the limits of my world.” In other words, your world is expanded by virtue of your bilingual superpowers. It is your time to go out into the world and reach new heights!

Get certified and showcase your bilingual superpowers with ACTFL assessments delivered by LTI. Find more information and sign up to take a test at www.languagetesting.com.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/soniathompson/2021/05/27/the-us-has-the-second-largest-population-of-spanish-speakers-how-to-equip-your-brand-to-serve-them/?sh=27dc8b16793a

https://oxfordhousebcn.com/en/8-hidden-benefits-of-being-bilingual/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/speaking-two-languages-may-help-the-aging-brain/2018/12/07/f93489c8-f8b0-11e8-8d64-4e79db33382f_story.html