There's a "perfect storm" brewing in the federal government right now-and smart Young Feds should take advantage of it. The war on terror and the unprecedented retirements of senior Feds is creating an urgent need for public servants with a high proficiency in foreign language skills. If you want to advance fast in federal service, learning a new language may be a great way to do it.
Less than ten percent of Americans can speak both English and another language fluently (compare this with Europeans, where nearly 53% speak two languages fluently). The U.S. Department of State-one of the largest federal employers of foreign speaking feds-estimates that more than 60% of their "critical language speakers" are approaching retirement within the next five years. But that's just the tip of the language iceberg: more than 80 federal agencies need employees with proficiency in more than 100 different languages, including Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Farsi, and Russian. Other lesser known languages, like Hindi and Pashto (not often taught in most colleges and universities) are in particular demand.
The federal government often competes with the private sector when hiring multilingual professionals. And for a variety of reasons, the private sector often wins out. But young Feds committed to public service -- and committed to advancing their careers -- should explore learning a language. Doing so may be easier (and cheaper) than you think.
The Graduate School, USDA has many critical language courses tailored to the specific needs of young Feds. They have an impressive Washington, DC campus building, as well as facilities in the major Federal cities. Arabic, Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Farsi -- from the beginner through highly advanced -- make up only a small part of their comprehensive list of language classes offered. The Graduate School, USDA is one of the best values in education, too! Introductory courses (offered weekends and evenings) usually run about $335 and last for 10 weeks. Five week courses and summer intensives are also available.
Community colleges are also great places to learn and earn that foreign language credential... and are usually a bargain. Young Feds in San Francisco, for example, may want to check out Skyline College, located south of downtown. They offer courses in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish. These introductory classes are a great way for young Feds to get a basic grounding in the language.
More is more when if comes to young Feds and foreign languages. The more you know, the more opportunities are open to you!
