Originally published on LinkedIn June 19, 2019.

A recent survey by the  American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) found that U.S. employers have an urgent and growing need to hire employees with foreign language skills. Nine out of ten employers have a reliance on U.S.-based employees with language skills other than English. Spanish is by far the most sought-after language, followed by Chinese, French, and Japanese. It is expected that these foreign language skill needs will continue to grow in the next five years. Employers report a loss of business due to the lack of foreign language skills in their workforce.  The changing demographics in the U.S. help explain the increase need for foreign language skills.

According to Forbes, Latinos represent 18% of the U.S. population. They are the second-fastest growing and youngest demographic group in the country with $1.7 trillion in purchasing power. In California, referring to Latinos as a minority group is a misnomer. In 2014, California was declared a Latino plurality state representing 39% of the state’s population. It shouldn’t be surprising then that this demographic shift has intensified the interest by corporations to connect effectively with the Latino consumer. One of the ways to connect with Latino consumers is in their preferred language.

While most U.S. Latinos speak English, according to Nielsen, younger Latinos are predominantly bilingual. In total, 55% of Latinos are bilingual, 27% are English-dominant and 19% are Spanish-dominant. Apparently, corporate America’s confusion on Latinos’ language preference comes from its obliviousness to the increase in English-Spanish bilingualism. My mom used to say that Spanish is the most beautiful language in the world – when spoken correctly. Turns out she was onto something. A Facebook IQ  survey found that, on average, US Latinos feel Spanish is more “beautiful” and “emotional” than English. According to Facebook IQ, ads in Spanish versus in English significantly increase Latinos’ interest in purchasing products and Latinos see brands that advertise in Spanish in a more positive light. 

Cal State University Fullerton (CSUF), the largest CSU campus, is a Hispanic serving institution with a 41.5% Latinx student population. The College of Communications at CSUF graduates the most Latinos with a degree in Communications in the nation. At CSUF we understand that there is a demand for English-Spanish bilingual communicators, this is why the Latino Communications Institute (LCI) was established.  Employers contact us often looking for students who are proficient in Spanish. Many CSUF students learned Spanish at home, but they lack the formal training necessary to be Spanish proficient. It is one thing to speak Spanish with family and friends and quite another to be able to speak and write Spanish in a professional setting. CSUF is doing its part in offering culturally responsive curriculum and embracing bilingualism. The College of Communications and the Department of Modern Languages & Literature offer a professional certificate for English-Spanish bilingual students to become Spanish adept. The gift of bilingualism that many students received from their parents can be transformed into a monetized skill that give students an edge in an increasingly competitive job market. Best of all, speaking more than one language is not only good for one’s career, it’s also good for the brain. The American Academy of Neurology found a delay of dementia in bilingual patients. When it comes to language skills, two is better than one.