Shanghai language education officials are calling on more people
to learn languages other than English ahead of the 2010 World
Expo.
The city is seeking language professionals in a range of tongues
to curb a shortage of multi-lingual volunteers for the Expo, which
is expected to attract visitors from all over the world.
Officials will issue qualification certificates for
professionals who speak one of eight foreign languages -- French,
German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese and
Arabic.
Since 1995, the government has issued similar certificates for
English proficiency. The certificates are highly prized in the
country's crowded job market, and as of last year 100,000 people
had obtained one.
Officials hope the new certificates will attract the same
interest. But issuing authorities reported that only 500 people had
signed up for the first qualification test, which will take place
in December.
Most of the applicants were young students or white-collar
workers who had studied language as their major or as a second
foreign language at university.
"The number is far less than our expectation, not to mention the
city's demand for foreign language professionals," said Shi
Ronggen, an official with the certification application office.
"We believe that the number of people who can get the
certificate is much higher than the number of people who have
applied for one," Shi said.
Certificate holders will work as volunteers during the Expo,
certificate issuers said.
The city is scheduled to receive 70 million visitors for the
Expo.
(Shanghai Daily July 28, 2006)