Transcript Template d'offre - Brussels Metropolitan

Survey of perception and knowledge of the
English language amongst youngsters between
16 and 18 years in the Brussels metropolitan area
off
Press conference
29 février 2012
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Content
 Who are we
 Survey
 Context & objectives
 Profile of respondents
 Importance of the English language
 Knowledge of the English language
 Conclusions
2
HEC Consulting Group in a nutshell
 Active in marketing-consulting
 Number 1 as enterprise leading by students
 Lead by 17 students of the HEC – ULg (University of Liege)
 35 surveys accomplished in 2011
 Cumulative turn-over of € 915,000 since establishment
 National coverage linguistically with possibilities
for interventions in English, Italian and Spanish
Content
 Who are we
 Survey
 Context & objectives
 Profile of respondents
 Importance of the English language
 Knowledge of the English language
 Conclusions
4
Context & objectives

The non-profit organisation ‘Business Route 2018 for
Metropolitan
Brussels’,
in
short
‘Brussels
Metropolitan’,
was
founded
by
the
four
interprofessional employers organisations in Belgium:
UWE, BECI and Voka for each of the regions, and
VBO-FEB on a federal level.

The mission of ‘Brussels Metropolitan’ is to contribute
to the economic development of metropolitan
Brussels, an international centre “par excellence”.

From an economic point of view, the region
involved concerns Brussels Capital Region and
larger parts of the Nivelles and Hal-Vilvorde districts.

‘Brussels Metropolitan’ has called upon HEC
Consulting Group to check the knowledge and the
importance of the English language amongst the
youngsters.

HEC Consulting Group is presenting today the
findings of this survey held in the Brussels Capital
Region and in Walloon & Flemish Brabant.
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CONTEXT
The Brussels Metropolis:
 Brussels Capital Region
 District of Nivelles
 District of Hal-Vilvorde
Brussels, a multilingual capital
English is THE language for doing business
453 young people questioned (sample established in accordance
with the demographic data of the area defined)
Young people between 16 and18 years old
Target audience questioned before taking up higher studies, maybe
influencing their choice
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MULTILINGUAL CHARACTER
Brussels, European capital, where many languages interfere
MOTHER TONGUE
OCCURREN
CE
MOTHER TONGUE
OCCURREN
CE
African
2
Greek
1
Albanian
2
Italian
4
German
1
Rif (North of Morocco)
1
English
4
Lingala
1
Arabic
28
Moroccan
9
Armenian
1
Dutch
Bengali
1
Pakistani
5
Berber
1
Polish
8
Bulgarian
1
Portuguese
6
Chinese
1
Russian
4
Spanish
6
Serbian
1
French
196
Turkish
9
161
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Content
 Who are we
 Survey
 Context & objectives
 Profile of respondents
 Importance of the English language
 Knowledge of the English language
 Conclusions
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PROFILE PEOPLE QUESTIONED
Age & gender
FEMALE
MALE
TOTAL
1994
79
74
153
1995
66
85
151
1996
74
75
149
TOTAL
219
234
453
Number of questionnaires in French and Dutch (Flemish)
FRENCH
DUTCH
(FLEMISH)
TOTAL
FEMALE
112
107
219
MALE
109
125
234
TOTAL
221
232
453
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FIRST SECOND LANGUAGE STUDIED
0.2%
21.4%
German
45.0%
English
Dutch (Flemish)
French
33.3%
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Content
 Who are we
 Survey
 Context & objectives
 Profile of respondents
 Importance of the English language
 Knowledge of the English language
 Conclusions
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IMPORTANCE OF ABILITY TO SPEAK
ENGLISH
0.4%
3.5%
Not important
49.4%
46.6%
Little important
Rather important
Very important
 96% of the youngsters consider the ability to speak English
important to very important
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IMPORTANCE OF ABILITY TO SPEAK
ENGLISH
 A couple of reasons:
 International language, spoken worldwide and know by
everybody
 Useful for the future (for everyday life as well as professionally)
 Important language for communication
 Rating on a scale of 1to 4:
Average
Social
contacts
2,64
Studies
The economy
3,05
3,27
Professional
career
3,42
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Content
 Who are we
 Survey
 Context & objectives
 Profile of respondents
 Importance of the English language
 Knowledge of the English language
 Conclusions
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KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
6.6%
Do not understand
18.0%
31.8%
9.5%
Ask for repeating the
question
Answer by gesticulating
Answer clearly
34.1%
Answer perfectly
 The person questioned was evaluated on the basis of two
questions asked
 Only a minority has an active knowledge of the English language
(31,8% answered clearly, 6,6% answered in a perfect way)
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KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH
 LANGUAGE
Details of knowledge of English by mother tongue
Dutch (Flemish) speaking youngsters
French-speaking youngsters
5%
23%
30%
10% 0%
1%
Do not understand
Do not understand
Ask for repeating
the question
27%
38%
Answer by
gesticulating
15%
Answer clearly
Ask for repeating the
question
Answer by
gesticulating
Answer clearly
51%
Answer perfectly
Answer perfectly
Youngsters with other mother tongue
Do not understand
6%
16%
30%
Ask for repeating the
question
Answer by gesticulating
Answer clearly
35%
13%
Answer perfectly
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KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH
 LANGUAGE
Details of knowledge of English in function of first second language studied
English as first language
6%
9%
37%
6%
42%
French as first language
7%
Do not understand
Ask for repeating
the question
Answer by
gesticulating
Answer clearly
9%
42%
4%
Do not understand
Ask for repeating
the question
Answer by
gesticulating
38%
Answer perfectly
Answer clearly
Answer perfectly
Dutch (Flemish) as first language
4%
Do not understand
Ask for repeating the question
15%
37%
Answer by gesticulating
Answer clearly
24%
20%
Answer perfectly
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MOTIVATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
 Motivations most often named:
Possibility for travelling, living and working abroad
Work towards a better professional future and an international career
For studying abroad
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Content
 Who are we
 Survey
 Context & objectives
 Profile of respondents
 Importance of the English language
 Knowledge of the English language
 Conclusions
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CONCLUSIONS
 For a vast majority of young people it is important to
speak English
 However, the knowledge of the English language is
not always good
…Are they solely responsible for this?
Or should the quality of education be improved or
reviewed?…
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Review performed by:
Lionel BLANCHARD
Maxime HEUTZ
Project Leader
Project Leader
+32 491 34 43 52
[email protected]
Rue Louvrex 14
4000 Liège
www.heccg.com
+32 491 34 43 46
[email protected]
Rue Louvrex 14
4000 Liège
www.heccg.com
Lars VERCAMMEN
Johan VAN LANGENDONCK
Project Leader
Project Leader
+32 492 31 15 67
[email protected]
Rue Louvrex 14
4000 Liège
www.heccg.com
Rue Louvrex 14
4000 Liège
+32 492 31 15 68
[email protected] www.heccg.com
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Thank you for your attention
www.heccg.com
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