Peru's manufacturing industry turns to Cambridge experts to improve language skills

Source:

http://www.cambridgeesol.org/about/news/2010/senati-esol.html

Peru's training giant SENATI has begun working with a department of Cambridge University to improve the language skills of thousands of apprentices in the country's manufacturing industry each year.

The SENATI apprentice scheme has included English language proficiency as one of the key basic skills taught to apprentices since the start of 2010. Under the new agreement the Business English test BULATS, designed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, will be incorporated into the scheme.

SENATI'S National Director Peter Schreier, says that their adoption of BULATS is part of a trend which is seeing English language ability becoming a key skill in the manufacturing sector:

“Our training programme responds to the actual demands of the manufacturing industry and English proficiency has become a large part of this. Apprentices learn through a combination of hands-on the work and classroom activities and the BULATS test will help our ambitious apprentices gain real-life communications skills recognised to an international standard.”

Not-for-profit SENATI has been operating since 1961 to provide training for Peru’s manufacturing industry. They have already administered over 3,000 BULATS tests since May and students taking part in the scheme will be encouraged to reach an A2–B1 level of English to the Common European Standard of Reference for Languages (CEFR). BULATS was chosen as it assesses real-life communications skills for the workplace to an internationally recognised standard.

Dr Mike Milanovic, Chief Executive of Cambridge ESOL says:

“It is really encouraging to see the importance being placed on language skills in Peru's manufacturing industry. BULATS has been specifically designed to test the kind of skills needed in the global manufacturing industry and this will help to up skill Peru's future workforces even more. This will be a real benefit to SENATI apprentices and the economy as a whole as it will help the industry to become more competitive on a global scale”.

Cambridge ESOL offers the world's leading range of certificates for learners and teachers of English – taken by over 3 million people in 130 countries. They help people gain entrance to university or college, improve job prospects or measure progress in English. More than 10,000 employers, universities and government bodies around the world recognise Cambridge ESOL qualifications.