Thanks to the internet, almost every company can now go global. Whether your business is big or small, knowing how to target foreign markets can open up unexpected opportunities.
With the UK looking to invest heavily in Spain in 2014-2016, and Latin America receiving more Moody’s upgrades than any of the Euro Zone countries, business Spanish is a hot topic indeed.
We’ve put together a selection of five different professional Spanish language immersion courses currently available in Spain. Whether you’re looking to break into the Spanish-speaking market, embark on a career in the tourist sector, or teach the language to others in your home country, this list should have something for you.
#5 – Spanish for Tourism at Proyecto Español Alicante
Proyecto Español Alicante is the ideal place to study Spanish for Tourism – both because of its location and reputation as a holiday destination, as well as the school’s emphasis for putting students in contact with Spanish culture and language outside the classroom.
The Proyecto Español Alicante’s intensive, 30-hours per week Spanish for Tourism Course is geared for students with basic to advanced Spanish language skills. If you are a total beginner, however, you should aim to get some prior lessons, and be able to pass an A2-level test first.
The course has two elements. In the first part, students receive five daily Spanish language lessons (Monday to Friday), and in the second part the course focuses on specialist vocabulary and topics related to hotels, tourist services, travel agencies, holiday websites and other relevant subjects.
The course is Bildungsurlaub accredited, which means that it has undergone and passed a stringent German quality control test. Contact UniSpain for further information and prices.
#4 – Super-intensive 30 hours per week course at Babylon Idiomas Barcelona
If you are not looking to specialise in any particular type of business, but just want to pick up general Spanish language skills at a fast pace, the award-winning Babylon Idiomas in Barcelona offers a Super Intensive 30-hours per week immersion course.
Because this course covers Spanish from Spain and Latin America, it is ideal for those wishing to use the language in a global context. You can also add 5 hours of culture lessons each week to gain a better understanding of the Hispanic world.
The course progresses at an extremely fast pace, so it is not recommended for total beginners. The good news is that if your Spanish is very basic, you can start with the Intensive Course at 25-hours per week and progress onto the Super Intensive program after three weeks, if you want to advance faster.
Upon arrival you will be tested and placed in a small class of 3-10 students according to your level of Spanish: upper-beginner, intermediate, advanced or proficient. Each section of the course is led by a different teacher in order to give you as wide a variation of Spanish as possible. The course duration is flexible and you can select any number of weeks from two to 52. Consult UniSpain for further information.
#3 – Business Spanish at Instituto de Idiomas Ibiza
Perhaps because Ibiza is regarded as the ultimate place to escape your daily routine, it provides the ideal setting to really concentrate on getting your business Spanish to a high level, extremely quickly. The Instituto de Idiomas de Ibiza offers an effective, general Business Spanish Course that focuses on professional use of the Spanish language in settings like meetings, conferences, office environment and sales negotiations.
The course covers general Spanish language, specialist vocabulary, and spoken and written business communication. Various methods are used – role play scenarios for job interviews, phone calls and meetings, exercises to draft business letters, vocabulary and terminology exercises and tests to help you understand Spanish marketing materials and statistics, and reading, listening and watching business media to gain a general understanding of the modern Hispanic business world and markets.
This Business Spanish Course advances at a very intense pace, and therefore it is only suitable for professionals who already speak at least intermediate Spanish – and need fast results. Please contact UniSpain for start dates, prices and further information.
#2 – Spanish Teacher Training at Sampere Madrid
This is a 2 or 4-week summer program held in the Sampere chain’s language school in Madrid. The course is aimed at non-native Spanish teachers, who want to pick up new teaching techniques.
Because the course is taught entirely in Spanish, teachers attending the course must have at least a higher-intermediate B2 level of Spanish.
You will learn how to ascertain a language student’s level of Spanish, how to plan lessons and entire courses, the correct use of textbooks, creating interesting materials and teaching ideas for the classroom, as well as how to teach vital Spanish grammar topics. Those participating on the course also get to sit in on Spanish classes taught at the Sampere School, allowing teacher trainees to observe real Spanish teachers at work and witness different teaching styles and techniques. Contact UniSpain to find out more about start dates and prices.
#1 – DELE preparation and exams at Hispania Valencia
The DELE is an official diploma that certifies your fluency in Spanish. It is awarded by the Instituto Cervantes, on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education, and you must pass an examination in order to get the certificate. DELE diplomas are recognised world wide, both academically as well as in commercial circles, so it is a sure-fire way to prove your Spanish skills to employers, or on university and masters degree applications.
The Hispania-Valencia school has plenty of experience offering the DELE preparation course to foreign students. On this course you’ll learn both Spanish language skills, as well as necessary exam orientation to help you pass the official test. Every year more than 100 students attend the DELE course at Hispania-Valencia and more than 90% get the diploma.
You can choose a course and a DELE exam to suit your level from total beginner (A1) to proficient (C2). Hispania-Valencia’s DELE courses are held in small groups of about 7 students and are flexible in intensity, so you can choose between Extensive, Intensive and Intensive Plus courses depending on the amount of teaching you feel you need. The courses run for either four or eight weeks and are held at certain times of year, depending on the dates the official DELE examinations (usually spring, summer and autumn). For more information and prices, get in touch with UniSpain.
