Making Languages Our Business: A Smart Investment
Position Your Company as a Leader in Workforce Development
Employers value—and compensate—multilinguals for more than the linguistic abilities they bring to the table: Language learners demonstrate a wealth of social skills and cognitive benefits, as consistently shown by decades of extensive research. They also develop improved skills in categories identified in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Employability Skills Framework—becoming advanced collaborators, analyzers, planners, thinkers, and communicators.
The Economic Power of Language: 2026 Report Coming Soon
Following up on the 2019 prediction that the demand for such skills would increase in the next five years, and recognizing that this trend has become a reality, the forthcoming 2026 revision of Making Languages Our Business will update national employer data on language needs, trends from recruiting to the role of AI, and the impact of multilingualism across industries.
This revised edition will capture a snapshot of the value that all language learners—from those learning a new language or improving a second language to those perfecting their native language—bring to our communities and national economy, contributing to important advocacy initiatives, shaping public opinion, and informing policies and legislation affecting support for language education at the local, state, and national level.
Explore the Flagship Study
ACTFL’s 2019 report, Making Languages Our Business, demonstrated an urgent and rising demand for multilingual talent among U.S. employers of all sizes and provided actionable steps to leverage and support these assets.
Dive deeper into why 90 percent of U.S. employers say they rely on individuals with language skills—and explore seven actionable takeaways for businesses.
Testimonials from Employers – Making Languages Our Business (2019)
"We continue to see an increasing need for language skills, particularly in customer service."
– Midsize Utilities Company
“Language skills contribute to our growth. We’ve found that investments in our language capabilities correlate directly to our business, and it’s why we nurture employees with language skills.”
– Small Employer
"Finding talent with language skills has been extremely challenging, and as a result, we’ve lost multiple deals.”
– Midsize Professional Services Employer
Multilingual Talent Shines Across Sectors
In our Professional Profiles, meet leaders employing language skills in fields ranging from Cybersecurity and Emergency Services, to Finance, Pharmaceuticals, Sales, Sustainable Tourism, and beyond!