IT graduates 'lack language skills' - graduate jobs

IT graduates seeking jobs in Scotland's booming call centre sector are losing up to £3,000 in entry-level salaries because they lack foreign language skills.

A new report reveals that most vacancies are being taken by overseas graduates, particularly from Europe, who speak their mother tongue and fluent English.

Multi-nationals such as IBM, Sykes, Sun Microsystems, Hewlett Packard and Dell are using Glasgow as a hub for their global call centre services, says consultants NetworkersMSB.

Spokeswoman Virginie Katz says that the most sought-after languages are French, Spanish, Dutch, German and the Nordic languages, with Eastern European tongues such as Polish, Russian and Turkish also in demand.

She says that a foreign language is required for a fifth of its technical vacancies, but it has not yet been able to find suitable Scottish candidates.

"IT graduates expect to have to prove their fluency in computer programming languages, but very few of them realise that a foreign language can open the door to some exciting job opportunities," she said.

"IT graduates with a good grounding in a language should consider refreshing their knowledge and giving their language skills more prominence on their CV. It could be their passport to a better paid job with exciting prospects."