Arielle: Business Project Manager Leading with French
Professionals across industries and skill levels are sharing the value of language learning
Meet Arielle—a Business Project Manager at Schneider Electric.
Learning a language requires discipline, consistency, creativity, understanding, and empathy. Those skills translate beyond languages and are necessary for any journey towards your goals.
Languages: English and French
Grew Up In: Brooklyn, New York
College: University of Rhode Island; ENTA ParisTech
Majors/Minors:
- Master in Offshore Energies Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering
- Bachelor of Arts in French Studies
Study Abroad: Université de Technologie de Compiègne (2014-2015, France)
Additional Experience: Professional Master’s in Project Management (CESI)
How have your language and cultural skills supported and/or enhanced your professional opportunities?
Like English, French is truly a global language, and learning French in college made my professional goals limitless. French is the only language other than English that is spoken on all continents.
I’ve lived in Paris for nearly seven years, and I use my language skills daily. As an Engineer, I spent over three years on a French team, communicating for the majority in French and occasionally in English. Now as a Business Project Manager on an international team, English is more prevalent. I still speak French in my day-to-day office interaction with my French-speaking coworkers.
What advice would you share with current language learners or those considering studying a language?
Establish your ‘why’ for studying a language. 'Why' is probably the most important thing that you should establish as this is what will inspire you to act, especially in challenging times. With keeping this ‘why’ in mind, your language learning experience can even be incorporated into career decisions.
With wanting to become a global citizen, learning French led to Paris being my home, beautifully blending my American and Trinbagonian cultures.
It’s often said that English is the language of global business, and because of that, language skills aren’t necessary to succeed. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Even if English is often said to be the language of global business, you enhance many professional skills through learning languages. Learning a language requires discipline, consistency, creativity, understanding, and empathy. Those skills translate beyond languages and are necessary for any journey towards your goals.
Check out our Connect with French page—or explore another language of your choosing—for information about university programs, scholarship opportunities, testimonials, and more!
Then tell us how you put your language skills to work @LangConnectsFdn on social media.
Know a multilingual professional who's using language skills in their work or career? Refer them to us for consideration in an upcoming Professional Profile.