Useful links and contacts
Listed below are our links and contacts in full.
Business skills and support
Arab British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC)The ABCC offers a wide range of services to both Arab and British companies such as business information, seminars, translation, language and cultural training. The website contains country files for all Arab countries.
ABCC website
BBC: Languages for Work
Useful phrases, activities and language practice for a wide range of working situations in French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese
Languages for Work from the BBC
Business Link
The national Business Link network provides help and support for small businesses and people starting businesses. Business Links in each region work closely with all the main business support organisations to provide advice on all aspects of starting, running and growing businesses.
Business Link in the South West
China-Britain Business Council (CBBC)
CBBC is a UK based agency which helps British companies do business in China. The organisation delivers a range of practical services to British companies wishing to export goods and services to, invest in, or establish manufacturing under license arrangements with China.
CBBC website
The website also contains an online 'Guide to China' offering practical advice for anyone planning to do business in China.
China guide on the CBBC website
Communicaid
Communicaid is a culture and communication skills consltancy based in London. It offers a variety of services such as cross-cultural and language courses, both public or tailored to specific requirements.
Communicaid website
Confederation of British Industry (CBI)
The CBI is the premier lobbying organisation for UK business on national and international issues.
CBI website
Expert Solutions for businesses in the South West
This site offers the expertise of the universities in the South West to local businesses. HERDA-SW, the Higher Education Association in the South West, manages this website.
Expert Solutions South West website
Export Clubs
The Export Club movement is a voluntary organisation that acts as a forum for the exchange of information, both between exporters and from 'government' to exporters. Export Clubs encourage businesses into exporting, by bringing together experienced exporters and those with little or no experience at regular intervals throughout the year.
Information about Export Clubs on the UKT&I website
British Chambers of Commerce Exportzone
Support for exporters from the British Chambers of Commerce including information on Export Communications Review.
Exportzone website
What is Export Communications Review?
Export Credits Guarantee Department (Export Guarantee Scheme)
ECGD, the Export Credits Guarantee Department, is the UK's official Export Credit Agency. ECGD works closely with exporters, project sponsors, banks and buyers to help UK exporters of capital equipment and project-related goods and services to win business and invest overseas.
ECGD website
Graduate / Student Placements in Business
There are numerous opportunities in the South West for businesses to take on a student or new graduate on a temporary placement to help with a particular aspect of the business or new project: perhaps to develop your language or cultural strategy? To find contacts at a university near you, contact HERDA SW, the Higher Education Regional Development Agency.
HERDA SW website
Information on student and graduate projects from the University of Exeter
Institute of Directors (IoD)
The Institute of Directors (IoD) is an association of members worldwide providing a professional network for the business community.
IoD website
Institute of Export
Provides education and training programmes to raise professional standards in international trade management and export practice.
Institute of Export website
Kwintessential
Language and culture resources and cross-cultural communication briefings for business on this useful website.
Kwintessential website
Middle East Association (MEA)
The MEA is a London based independent organisation for promoting trade and relations with the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Iran.
MEA website
Migrant Workers and Non-Native English Speakers
General advice on employing migrant workers with particular reference to language and cultural issues, Health & Safety, Cultural Diversity, and case studies from sectors including Construction and Food & Drink.
Links for employers of migrant workers and non-native Engish speakers
Russo British Chamber of Commerce (RBCC)
The RBCC exists to facilitate trade between Britain and Russia. Services include monthly business digest, in-depth regional and company profiles, exhibitions, conferences and up to the minute Russian business advice.
RBCC website
South West England China Forum
The information hub for developing trade and business between South West England and China.
South West England China Forum
Train to Gain
Train to Gain is a service for employers, designed to help businesses get the training they need to succeed. Training is free for employees for their first Level 2 qualification, and small employers will receive wage compensation.
Train to Gain website
UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is the Government organisation that supports both companies in the UK trading internationally and overseas enterprises seeking to locate in the UK. UKTI can help develop export capabilities and provides expert advice, reliable data, and professional research.
UKTI in the South West
Education
Education Business Partnerships
The Education Business Partnerships deliver a range of services to link schools and business.
South West EBP contacts
Business Language Champions
Read about partnerships between businesses and schools to demonstrate the value of and promote language learning.
Business Language Champions
The Higher Education Regional Development Agency (HERDA)
HERDA-SW is the regional higher education association for South West England, providing a forum for the 14 Universities and Higher Education Colleges in the region to work together.
HERDA South West website
Cilt website - including Languages Work
The Cilt website (www.cilt.org.uk) includes information for teachers, statistics on language learning; community langugaes; research and publications.
The Languages Work website promotes language sand careers.
LLAS - Subject Centre for Languages,
Linguistics and Area Studies
Resources for learning and teaching languages, linguistics and area studies, including promotional materials about 'Why study languages?' and '700 reasons for studying languages'.
LLAS website
Research, statistics and labour market information
Languages and the Labour Market
Comprehensive page of links to information on CILT, The National Centre for Languages website.
Languages and the Labour Market on the CILT website
The National Guidance Research Forum: Languages across the Sectors
Collection of research on languages and employability showing that the need for languages is increasing: business languages most in demand, demand for employees with language skills and occupations where language skills are useful.
National Guidance Research Forum language research
The Skills and Learning Intelligence Module (SLIM)
The Skills and Learning Intelligence Module (SLIM) exists to bring information and intelligence on skills and learning to policy makers and practitioners across the South West. Their website provides access to growing archives of labour market research, networks, data, news and good practice
SLIM website
Language learning and careers
Careers Advice (previously part of Learn Direct)
Practical advice to help you make the right career choices whether you want to learn new skills, change career or return to work .
Careers Advice website
Finding a course:
To find courses close to you, contact you local education department, Further Education College or University languages department.
Or visit www.learndirect.co.uk
Asset Languages
The Asset Languages assessment scheme, developed by OCR, is part of the Government's National Languages Strategy and provides voluntary accreditation options for learners of all ages and abilities from primary through to further, higher and adult education.
Asset Languages website
BBC website
The BBC website has an excellent section on language learning with free online courses, tips, resources, quizzes, discussions and ideas for further study.
Languages on the BBC website
Gradsouthwest
Register with Gradsouthwest.com to find graduate jobs in the South West. Extremely popular with both large and small companies and organisations, gradsouthwest always has a good selection of jobs in the region and is updated daily.
Gradsouthwest website
Joe Dale's blog
French teacher offers practical tips, advice and links to resources for modern foreign language teachers. Focus on integrating ICT into language teaching.
Joe Dale's website blog
Linguascope
Resources for language learning, interactive word games. Some previews free of charge.
Linguascope website
Prospects
Information on using your languages at work from Prospects, the UK's official graduate careers website.
Advice on using your language skills from Prospects
Spellmaster
Hundredes of foreign language word games for downloading free of charge.
Spellmaster website
Translation on the web
Yahoo Babelfish - Machine translation
If you need to get the gist of a document, email or website in a foreign language, Yahoo's Babelfish offers a quick and easy solution. Cut and paste text into the box or enter a web URL, select the language and Babelfish provides an instant "gist" translation. It may be a little strange, but you should understand what it means!
Remember - anything you translate from English using Babelfish will result in an equally strange translation which may not be understood or could even cause offence. Machine translation should be approached with caution and is not a substitute for using a professional translator. Contact us to find out more!
- Babelfish website
- Download RLN South West's guide to translation services: Translation: Getting It Right (100 kb pdf document)
Kwintessential's online website translation
Kwintessential, a company which offers cross-cultural solutions, provides a free website translation tool. English websites can be translated into ten languages.
As for other machine translation tools, this tool usually gives an approximate idea of the content, and there are likely to be mistranslations. Machine translations are not a substitute for a professional translator.
Kwintessential free website translation tool
Displaying foreign characters with accents
A quick guide to displaying foreign characters and accents in Windows programs.
Typing characters in non-Roman alphabets on your computer
If you use Microsoft Windows, you can download Microsoft's Global Input Method Editors onto your PC which enable you to type Chinese, Japanese and Korean text.
This website below explains how to change your PC to enable you to type Kyrillic (Russian) characters on your PC: Russian
Disclaimer: These sites are provided for your reference only. They are not maintained by RLN SW and RLN SW accepts no responsibility for the effects of any changes you make or programs you download to your computer as a consequence. If your computer is on a network, contact your network administrator - do not attempt to make any changes yourself. If you are not confident with the instructions, contact a professional.
Professional linguists - useful sites
Professional Associations
- Association of Sign Language Interpreters
- Association of Translation Companies
- British Deaf Association
- Chartered Institute of Linguists
- Institute of Translation & Intepreting
- International Association of Conference Interpreters
South West region organisations & networks
Enterprise Europe Network South West (EEN SW)
The Enterprise Europe Network is an initiative of the European Commission’s Directorate General Enterprise & Industry dedicated to enabling greater business co-operation between SMEs in 40 countries and providing advice and support to South West companies interested in trading in Europe.
Enterprise Europe Network South West
Learning & Skills Council (LSC)
The LSC is responsible for the funding and planning of all post-16 education and training in England. There are six local offices in the South West.
Learning & Skills Council South West
South West Regional Employment & Skills Partnership
The South West Regional Employment & Skills Partnership unites the entire business and learning community in order to ensure that there is a demand led approach to tackling the skills challenges and priorities in the south west.
SW Regional Employment & Skills Partnership website
South West Observatory
The South West Observatory was set up by a partnership of regional bodies to share the production, analysis and dissemination of intelligence and research related to regional policy in South West England.
South West Observatory website
South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA)
The South West Regional Development Agency aims to improve the economy of the South West. This involves giving people the skills they need, encouraging enterprise and improving communications. They also promote the strengths of the region and help people to regenerate their communities. SWRDA are the main funder of RLN SW.
SWRDA website
Other related sites of interest
Multilingual Nation: Languages of the British Isles
Find out about languages used in the United Kingdom, test your own recognition of regional accents and languages and participate in language surveys on the BBC website.
Multilingual Nation website on the BBC
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