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Meadowhead School and Language College |
Vocational |
School studentshelp Gripple say 'un grand bonjour' to French visitors
Students at Sheffield's Meadowhead School and Language College are helping city-based Gripple improve communications with its French visitors in the latest part of an initiative to promote the value of languages in business.
As our Year 10 Business Language Champions complete their project, business partner Gripple are so pleased with their fantastic audio tour recording about their company in French, that they will be spreading the word to the local press soon.
They have even offered to contribute to a celebratory meal out and bowling at Valley centertainment in July, to formally thank the group for their hard work after school this year to help French customers learn more about Gripple’s business in their own language.
Well done Year 10 Business Language Champions, and Thank You Gripple for your generous business sponsorship, and time of course!
Gripple, as a Business Language Champion within the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Language Network, enjoys an ongoing relationship with both the school and college to support their language teaching.
The company, manufacturer of the unique Gripple wire joiner, recently invited the GCSE students to record interviews with company staff, including the managing director! These have now been translated by the students and an audio tape produced, which will tell French visitors to The Old West Gun Works about Gripple and its products.
In return, Gripple, winner of a 2008 Queen's Award for international business, has sponsored two of eight 24 hour clocks mounted in the school foyer, which is also bedecked with huge flags of numerous countries. Each of the clocks shows the time in an overseas city with which the school has an association.
Gripple office sales manager, Emma Hibbert, who is a fluent French and German speaker and the main link between the company and the school, said: 'Producing the audio tape has been a fascinating and rewarding project for all concerned and I am sure it will be an invaluable 'tool' for the company. We thank the students for their hard work and look forward to the next project.'
Gripple's work with Meadowhead reflects the importance the company places on speaking to its customers in their own language. The company is currently capable of communicating in 14 of the world's most commonly spoken languages, with many of its staff being multi-lingual.
Jo Allen, manager of the Language College, added: 'We are grateful to Gripple for its generous sponsorship and for giving the students the opportunity not only to exercise their language skills but also to learn about the importance of language in business. They all thoroughly enjoyed the project and are now more motivated, enthusiastic and confident as a result of our association with the company.'
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Business Language Champion group students pictured beneath the 24 hour world time zone clocks in the Rosling |
June 2008
