English is one of the most widely spoke languages in the world, and most businesses depend on their staff having a good level of English in order to progress in the cut and thrust world of trade today.
A German manufacturing company may need to deal with a Chinese import/export firm and it is not uncommon that English is the language used, not just for meetings and negotiation but socially too.
So what can students expect from a Business English course at EC?
EC's Business English courses take different forms depending on where you want to study and which English school you choose. All EC locations offer our popular English for Work course. English for Work helps you gain the fluency, accuracy and specific communication skills you need to succeed in the workplace. Spend 10 lessons per week developing your skills to build an international career. You will learn within such areas as: negotiating contracts, management and HR, branding and promotional strategies, project management, company budgets, business ethics and CSR. You will also learn workplace skills, such as giving presentations and preparing for interviews, and enhance ‘soft skills’, such as justifying opinions, making recommendations, presenting scenarios and resolving conflict.
For those who want to compete successfully in today’s global workplace, this intensive course develops the fluency, accuracy and the specific communication skills you need to advance confidently in your chosen career.
EC Malta's Business English Mini Group is designed to help you make maximum progress in a short time. You will study in a small class of only six students. The flexibility of our teachers combined with a small class size means lessons can progress at a faster pace. You will improve your ‘thinking time’, in terms of listening, comprehending and responding, which are essential for your fluency.
English and Global Career Development Programme for students in New York, Toronto and London, prepares you for a different cornerstone of career success, focusing first on essential business skills, and creating authentic business projects. This course is good for students who want to reach an advanced level of English.
In a private One-to-One class, the client completes a needs-analysis before starting, but the teacher always goes over this in the first lesson.
It may be you want to focus on a special presentation you prepared, but is aware that it needs a little more attention before they give it.
In that case the teacher will suggest ways of improving it with not only specific structures and vocabulary, but with intonation and stress in order that it might have the maximum affect (No one wants to see people yawning while they make a presentation!).
We offer clients the opportunity to do a general review of all aspects of the language, but with relevance in a business context.
For example, using the passive voice to describe manufacturing processes, conditional clauses to discuss business strategies, and future forms to predict business trends.
There are many idioms used in a business context, do you know what these mean?
Let's not forget that a lot of business takes place away from the boardroom and is done in a more social environment, so we cover the language for social situations and putting people at ease.
EC has English schools in USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Malta and South Africa, and our Business English clients come from all over the world, so there is ample opportunity to discuss what different cultures expect when doing business with each other; is giving a gift expected?
And here's an inspirational quote to all you potential captains of industry!
Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming. – Richard Branson
Learn more about taking a Business English Course at EC.
By Tim, teacher at EC Brighton English school
