Making an investment for the future

Photo provided to China Daily

Language lessons help professionals find better career opportunities

Before going to a well-known foreign English training center two years ago, the-then 30-year-old Zhou Kai was always embarrassed when anyone, especially a job interviewer, asked him to describe his English proficiency.

"I thought I would never be able to use English fluently. A friend of mine encouraged me to go to a training center, saying that it will be very helpful for my future career development. I also used to have a lot of customers from multinational companies, and the need to improve my English was becoming ever-more urgent," says Zhou.

Zhou spent a week searching online for the right school to go to, one which suited his professional needs, and eventually chose one.

Early progress was slow and painful.

Before going to the training center he would have given himself one out of 10 for his English, in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

'It was easy to improve from one to five. But it was really difficult to improve by even 0.1 after that. I had to encourage myself everyday," he says.

Tuition costs at leading foreign English training centers are generally high. Zhou spent 30,000 yuan ($4,896) on a 30-month course, which he admits was a huge strain on his finances. But he thought it was worth it, because this was an investment in his career, he told himself.

Throughout the course Zhou spent time on his English during his spare time, too, because he did not want to waste what he had invested.

"The greatest change is that I can now talk to foreigners fluently in English and also make myself understood. I was also given the chance to go on a two-month business trip to Tanzania because of my better English ability," he says.

Despite the likelihood of getting paid better elsewhere, now that his English has improved, Zhou has stayed with the Shanghai-based logistics company where he has been for six years.

"I don't have any plans of going to a multinational company. Actually the chances of using English are often quite limited. Most of the time I use it in e-mails, and there is little chance of using it in conversation.

"As I have been working in the logistics industry for such a long time, I am determined to carry on and learn more about the industry," he says.

"I have always dreamed of setting up my own company, and improving my English was one of the steps I had to take before I could consider doing that. English is a tool everyone must have."

Xi Rui, a trainer at a Shanghai multinational medical apparatus and instrument manufacturing company, had a similar experience before.

Six years of undergraduate study, three years of postgraduate study plus another three years of doctoral study finally provided Xi Rui with the chance to become the physician in charge of cardiovascular surgery at a top municipal hospital in Shanghai.

But what he called his "ideal job" proved too demanding by the time he turned 40.

He felt physically tired of dealing with complicated doctor-patient relationships every day and made up his mind to change his profession.

With such an impressive academic and working track record, Xi soon got quite a few job offers. However, he was really hit hard by one particular telephone interview conducted in English.

Even though he had published a number of theses in English during his doctoral years, and had studied abroad briefly, his spoken English had always been a barrier.

"I really hated English telephone interviews. I became tongue-tied and could never figure out how to carry on a proper conversation," says Xi.

He made up his mind to go to a leading foreign English training organization's Shanghai branch last September.

During the classes, he was able to join in workshops and communicate face to face with teachers and students, which he found really helped his spoken language.

After six months' study at the center Xi was given another English telephone interview and passed with flying colors. He is now a trainer at a Shanghai multinational medical apparatus and instrument manufacturing company, and as part of his job he has to give lectures to doctors and employees from all over the world in English.

"The training organization undoubtedly helped a lot," he says.

"For one thing, my English has improved greatly. But more importantly, I feel more confident to talk in English. This will be very helpful to my future career development."