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School of Modern Languages

Careers and employability

96% of our undergraduate and 96% of our postgraduate taught graduates were in employment and/or further study, due to start a new job or course, or doing other activities such as travelling 15 months after the end of their course (HESA data).

Many start work following graduation, and their employment options include a broad range of employers from public to private sectors; British Council, RWS Group, Sony and KPMG have been the top four employers for our graduates over the past three years.

Other employers have included Amazon, Ernst & Young (EY), Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, Jigsaw and TransPerfect. Many career destinations relate directly to using languages, for example, translator, teacher, language assistants, export assistants and proof-readers.

Our work-based placements can also help develop the skills and experience needed to succeed within a competitive job market.

In addition to this, modern language graduates are very employable and are able to pursue other professional careers within business, social care, marketing and commerce.

Graduation 2017 at Cardiff University School of Modern Languages.

Focused career support

Our Careers and Employability service offers information, advice and guidance to our students at every stage, delivering a tailored range of career-related events throughout the year. Whatever your career ambitions, we can help you to start your journey with our range of focused careers and employability activities.

"Thanks to Careers and Employability, I gained a real confidence boost and sense of direction that I needed to feel ready to enter the job market and I'm excited to see what the future holds."

Rachael Harper - BA French and Italian.

Careers and employability support include:

  • one-to-one sessions by appointment
  • master classes on CV writing, application forms and interview workshops
  • career planning sessions, including career options for your Modern Languages degree
  • LinkedIn masterclass
  • professional networking events
  • professional guest speakers from a wide range of sectors (e.g. Translator, Interpreter, Teacher and business-related occupations)
  • work experience placement advice
  • teacher placements
  • specialist support from Career Confident
  • mock interviews
  • information on internships and graduate training programmes
  • Enterprise activities and support to develop your basic website and app
  • links to the Global Opportunities Centre (GOC)
  • opportunity to complete an employability award (Cardiff Award)
  • up-to-date careers information and links to additional graduate careers information.

Contact us

The Careers and Employability service is located on Park Place. Careers interviews for Modern Language undergraduates and postgraduates are available via the student intranet; follow the links to 'Your Student Futures Account'.

Claire Hudson

Careers and Employability

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency, latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.

Contains HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2022. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data.