Foreign languages open doors to many industries

At the “2026 Job Fair” held at the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Associate Professor Ha Le Kim Anh, Vice President of the university, stated that many people still think language students primarily become teachers or translators/interpreters after graduation. However, in reality, career opportunities for language students are much broader.

According to the university's survey, besides traditional jobs like teaching, interpreting, or assisting at foreign-invested enterprises, graduates also work in many other fields such as tourism, marketing, journalism, communications, banking, finance, and international relations.

“Businesses today all have a demand for personnel with foreign language proficiency. Therefore, students can completely participate in various fields if they are equipped with appropriate professional knowledge,” Kim Anh said.

To meet this demand, the university has designed its training programs with a more flexible structure. After about three semesters, students are introduced to various career orientations. From the third year onward, they can choose training branches that suit their interests and career goals.

In recent years, the university has integrated topics such as information technology applications, digital transformation and artificial intelligence into its curriculum and student development activities. At the same time, students are trained in professional skills related to fields such as finance and banking, tourism or diplomacy.

According to the university’s annual survey, languages with high employment rates include Chinese, Japanese and Korean. English also continues to be in strong demand in the labor market.

In particular, graduates majoring in English language teaching often have good job prospects with relatively high incomes. Many English language majors can obtain teaching certificates and go on to teach at language centers or schools.

Is language proficiency alone enough to compete in the job market?

At the same event, many employers said foreign language skills are a major advantage but not the only requirement when recruiting staff.

Bui Ngoc Dai, head of recruitment at LG Display, said graduates with strong language skills can work as interpreters for documents, materials or meetings within the company.

“We usually recruit candidates who are fluent in Korean, while English is also a mandatory requirement,” Dai said.

However, he noted that students still need additional knowledge so they can use Korean in professional roles in departments such as production, engineering, finance or management. Soft skills such as presentation, teamwork, office software use, analytical thinking and problem-solving are also important.

However, even after recruitment, many companies still have to provide additional training for new employees to help them adapt to professional tasks and working environments. For example, interpreters working in manufacturing or technical companies must handle many specialized terms and therefore need experience and knowledge to translate accurately.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Hai Long, deputy head of the administration division of the cabin crew department at Vietnam Airlines, said foreign language proficiency is a mandatory requirement for many positions at the air carrier.

“Depending on the specific position, the requirements for language use and communication will vary. Specifically for the Cabin Crew, candidates need an IELTS score of 5.5 or higher,” Long stated.

Besides English, the airline also encourages candidates to know additional languages such as Japanese, Korean, Chinese, French, German, or Russian to better serve passengers. Along with foreign languages, candidates must still meet many other standards related to professional services for the job position.

According to experts, in the context of increasingly deep international integration, a foreign language is not only a field of study but has also become a “key” helping young people enter many different sectors.

Nevertheless, to make the most of this advantage, students need to combine foreign languages with professional knowledge, vocational skills, and the ability to adapt to new technologies. Thus, the career doors after graduation will be much wider.

Thanh Hung