Languages open doors to careers! As Coordinator of Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages, with our partners we have designed a Festival programme to include online and in person events, as well as classroom activities to inspire young people to think about how the languages they speak and learn can open up a world of opportunities.
Our 5 FREE languages and careers webinars in March 2026 are open to all UK schools and have unlimited participation. Four of the five webinars take place during National Careers Week and two have recordings, which can be used anytime after the events.
In-person languages and careers events for North East schools are already fully booked, but we have produced a new set of languages and careers videos with teaching packs and pupil booklets, which can be used flexibly and at any time in the classroom. The videos feature young people who live and work in the North East in a wide range of careers.
We have also included a curated collection of resources about languages and careers for teachers, careers advisers, parents and others to support young people to understand how languages open up opportunities for personal development, future education and careers.
Click here to find out about the whole languages and careers programme or click on individual events and activities that can still be accessed below. Schools are asked to register and the links are included on each event or activity webpage for these.
North East language and careers videos and classroom activities Available from 6th January 2026+
KS2-5 North East schools: A series of 2-5 minute videos with pupil booklets to inspire pupils to progress with languages and understand the opportunities available to people who speak more than one language.
Modern Languages in the Working World with Sanako UK 9.30-10.15am on 2nd March
NE & UK schools Y8-Y9: Join David Binns for an inspirational careers talk for students, stressing the importance of a second language skill in any chosen career and at initial interview stage and encouraging GCSE take-up.
Spanish language and careers webinar with Spanish Embassy Education Office 9.30-10.15am on 3rd March
NE & UK secondary schools/6th forms: Inspire pupils to progress with Spanish and find out about the benefits of learning languages and the future opportunities learning Spanish brings.
Languages at Work webinar: Careers session and live language challenge 9.30-10.30am on 5th March
NE and UK schools (KS3 Y8-Y9): Motivational session with professional linguists. Sharing career insights and running live language challenges in French, German and Spanish.
Languages and careers in football webinar with Pierce Kiembi, Futbol Lingo 10.30-11.15am on 6th March
NE & UK schools (KS3-5): Join Futbol Lingo’s motivational webinar, using football to inspire a generation of future linguists and open perspectives on the range of careers in football.
Where can languages take me? Careers webinar 9.00-9.45am on 26th March
NE & UK schools Year 8-9: Inspire pupils to choose languages at GCSE with professionals sharing their language learning journeys, skills and how they use languages in their work.
How languages changed my life: Inspirational stories from people connected to the North East
Personal stories of people of all ages and backgrounds, who are either originally from the North East of England, who may have gone elsewhere, or who came to live, work or study here.
They talk about how learning and speaking other languages influenced their education and career choices and the benefits that languages have brought them personally, socially and in their lives and careers.
Click here to read their stories
The Festival is part-funded by the North East Combined Authority
