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Anyone who’s ever taught a business English class knows that their students are busy people. Sometimes they get sidetracked by their other tasks - even during class. This means we have to make the most of the time we have with our learners and focus on what they really need.

How you do this depends on the sector your students work in (or plan to work in), their previous experiences studying English and their own strengths and weaknesses.

Teachers often focus on teaching hard skills, such as writing reports or running meetings. We do this because it can be challenging for many business students to do these things in English and also because hard skills have an immediate and positive impact on their workdays.

But, if there’s one thing that all business people can benefit from, it’s soft skills.

Soft skills are interpersonal or people skills. They include things like active listening, teamwork, decision-making and influencing skills. Mastering these skills will help students progress more rapidly and become more independent learners. However, isolating the specific vocabulary or grammar structures that these skills use is complex and they often get overlooked in language learning classes as a result.����

Are you thinking about embarking on a career in education? If so, you’ll be opening the door to an entire world of possibilities. An education degree can help you to work anywhere in the world, making it one of the most rewarding career paths you can choose. In this blog, we’ll delve deeper into just how this field of study can broaden your horizons more than you ever thought possible.

Why choose an education degree?

Without teachers, there are a lot of valuable life lessons that we just wouldn’t learn. Of course, learning isn’t just limited to the classroom, but educated teachers seem to consistently have the most impact on young people all over the world. This potential to change young lives is what makes studying for a teaching career desirable for many.

Studying education will also enable you to work from anywhere that you like, as teaching jobs are widely available across the world. The opportunity to teach English to second-language learners in particular can be found in even the most remote locations. Teaching abroad frequently comes with perks, too, , and the chance to meet people from all walks of life.

Where can I work with an education degree?

In short: almost anywhere. Some of the most popular places people immigrate to with an education degree include Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The latter is particularly attractive, as international school teachers are paid well here, and frequently awarded free accommodation and travel.

Saudi Arabia is also known for its vast riches, which they invest in building beautiful, gated communities for their expats. These often include air-conditioned housing and community pools. If you choose to relocate here, you’ll usually find yourself teaching a mixture of fellow expats and locals – most people find the exposure to such vastly different cultures particularly exciting.��

Teaching schemes and programs are available to people with relevant education degrees and overseas teaching roles are always in demand, so it's not uncommon to see new programs pop up over time. Make sure to check out relevant embassy and government websites for up-to-date news on schemes that are running.

If you find a program that interests you, make sure to do your research and find out from others who've participated to ensure its the right program for you. One person's experience teaching can be a lot different from someone else's. The kind of wage, accommodation and benefits can differ greatly depending on the scheme and where you work so its a good idea to research that, comparing it to the area's cost of living.

What should I study alongside my education degree?

If you’re choosing to study education you’re already on the right path to an enriching international career – however, you may wish to study other subjects alongside this to make sure that your future job applications stand out.

An English degree complements education studies nicely. The English language teaching market created approximately , and this number continues to grow. Alternatively, subjects such as maths and computer science continue to be popular choices for hiring companies abroad.

Education is generally seen as the precursor to a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education), which enables you to work abroad. In the UK alone as of 2023, so when it comes to getting started on your academic journey, the options are endless.

Education: the key to the world

Studying education at degree level will give you the key to the wider world, and is the first step towards a rewarding international career. If you choose to go down this route academically, you’ll have the opportunity to submerge yourself in vibrant global cultures. So, choosing to study for an education degree is sure to be the start of an exciting journey.

The MENA region has emerged as a key player in global digital transformation and development. A on digital adoption in the Middle East revealed that the region boasts one of the highest digital engagement rates worldwide. In this rapidly evolving landscape, individuals and businesses are confronted with the critical necessity of adapting and acquiring new skills to thrive in the market. Both employers and employees must take proactive initiatives to invest in the skills and training necessary to remain competitive and drive innovation forward.

Employees themselves are responsible for actively pursuing knowledge and cultivating versatile skill sets that empower them to excel in their respective roles. Recent research suggests a huge appetite for learning and development among younger generations. According to a , learning and development opportunities are the second highest priority for millennials and Gen Z workers when evaluating potential employers.

This means that employers in the region must recognize the importance of training and development to secure top talent and understand the significance of equipping their workforce with future-oriented skills, thus fostering an expert workforce capable of navigating the challenges presented by the modern workplace.

Employer's Role in Upskilling, Nurturing Talent and Fuelling Growth

Employers need to keep up with emerging technologies that have the potential to reshape industries and transform existing functions. According to a significant majority of employees in Kuwait (75%), Qatar (60%), Saudi Arabia (58%), and the UAE (46%) believe that their countries are facing a scarcity of individuals with specialized skills. Despite this, respondents from the region display higher confidence compared to the global average (47% compared to 40% globally) in their employers' prioritization of upskilling.

����app, the world's largest learning company, designs programs to equip businesses, employees and HR leaders with the necessary skills for the future of work. The need for upskilling is partly related to the fact that formal education may only cover some of the necessary requirements. According to carried out with 4,000 employees worldwide, individuals acknowledge that they will need to upskill to meet the demands of their careers.

Continuous Learning: Embracing the Future of Work

Professionals in the MENA region are beginning to embrace the idea of continuous learning as a means to adapt and succeed in the ever-changing job market. According to the , over 60% of Middle East survey respondents consider specialist training an essential requirement in their jobs, surpassing the global average of 48%. This indicates that workers in the region are willing to enhance and diversify their skill sets, and it is now up to businesses to invest in their development to build a thriving workplace and increase profitability.

Skills such as digital literacy, creativity, deductive reasoning, and other future-oriented skills are in high demand. In a globalized economy, English proficiency also plays a crucial role, as a bridge connecting individuals from diverse cultures and facilitating seamless information-sharing worldwide. Globally, English is the lingua franca of business, a key to unlocking better communication. According to a report by , ineffective communication can cost the average organization $62.4 million per year in lost productivity. The same report found that companies with effective communication generated a 47% higher return to shareholders over a five-year period.

Leveraging Tools for a Future-Ready Workforce

Nowadays, numerous resources are available to help businesses enhance their employees' language skills. One such tool is MondlyWorks by ����app, which utilizes advanced technology to provide a personalized learning experience. This allows employees to improve their language proficiency at their own pace, seamlessly integrating lessons into their busy work schedules. It is designed to cater to specific industries, including hospitality, retail, banking, and customer service, making it a valuable addition to employees' benefit packages.

Recruiting top talent with the necessary skills for a role can be challenging for companies. Assessing a candidate's English skills can be time-consuming and subjective. However, with ����app's Global Scale of English (GSE), a standardized measurement of English proficiency, recruitment companies can benefit from a detailed analysis of language skills and the framework to personalize learning pathways.

To this end, ����app offers Versant, a fully automated digital assessment of language skills – speaking, writing, reading, and listening – that will be needed in the workplace. Auto-scored digital assessments such as Versant ensure that candidates from different educational and cultural backgrounds can be assessed at scale using the same objective criteria, providing fast and fair results to expand a company's diverse talent pool.

Upskilling for the future

English language proficiency is crucial for businesses seeking to remain competitive and for individuals exploring limitless career opportunities. A report conducted by the highlights that English is spoken by an astounding 1.75 billion people, representing a remarkable one-quarter of the global population.

Today, most English speakers are people who have learned English as a second or additional language, many of whom use English for professional purposes. In dynamic workplaces, English proficiency serves as a catalyst for fostering essential skills such as effective communication, collaboration, and teamwork. Organizations that prioritize the development of English language proficiency can cultivate a workforce capable of driving regional ambitions and thriving in the global marketplace.