GEMS NI

GEMS NI developed Talk-IT to assist employees of a major IT Company (AllState) who were non-native speakers of English, to improve their competence in communicating orally and in writing using English language as both the workplace spoken language and the main language used in IT business communication with customers and colleagues and also in respect of IT hardware and software and associated instruction manuals and technical authored documents.

The main aim of Talk-IT is to transfer this innovative Vocationally Orientated Language Learning programme to meet the needs of IT sector employers in other European Countries who as a key business competency require their employees to demonstrate proficiency in business English language specific to the IT business context.

Talk-IT will be implemented by a consortium led by GEMS NI (UK) which brings together partners with the required skills, knowledge and expertise and commitment to ensure the project's success: Politehnica University of Bucharest, CTANM Centre for Advanced Technologies, Romania, Supra Vita Language Studio, Hungary Euregio Centre for Qualification and Technology Germany and Ballymun Job Centre Ireland and Nauczycielskie Kolegium Jezykow Obcych (NKJO) Poland.

The partnership reflects an appropriate skills "mix" of language, guidance, VET, ICT, Human Resources and business improvement specialisms which will ensure that the partnership as a whole is the optimum delivery mechanism for the project and each partner undertakes a lead role in relation to specific work packages.  The key project outcome will be an English language Programme for IT workers in European countries who are non-native speakers of English which enhances their ability to communicate effectively in English thus improving their own workplace learning and performance and the performance and competitiveness of their employing organisation.

The impact of Talk-IT will be an innovative programme which can be used in generically in vocational education and training settings with IT students/trainees as part of their learning curriculum and in a work based learning context tailored to the specific business needs of an IT sector employer. Talk-IT will also contribute to the competitiveness of European businesses both in a European context and globally and will also support the mobility of IT workers in Europe.