Avon Rubber -
St. Augustine's School
Avon Rubber is an international manufacturer of high technology rubber and polymer products which are used in various industries including automotive, dairy and defence. Employing 25 people at its Bradford upon Avon site and 4,500 in 11 countries around the world, the company was ideally placed to offer St Augustine's School students an insight into international business communications.
A taste of translation
Jayne Hunt, Group Communications Executive, visited the school to talk to more than 100 Year 9 students. Together with Claire Braham, Head of Modern Foreign Languages, she encouraged the students to appreciate how languages are actually used in business. For Avon Rubber, continuing to be able to recruit staff with language skills is absolutely vital. Jayne explained, "It is a real concern that so few people in the UK have foreign languages and yet to companies like ours they form such an important role in our day-to-day operations."
The students then had the daunting task of working with real materials with thechance to translate an authentic business letter into four different foreign languages as one of their project activities. Although they had never before seen authentic business materials, the students rose well to the challenge and produced their own versions. Jayne then gave the students the translations which had been prepared by their professional translators and they could see where they could improve on their versions.
New marketing ideas
As well as this students worked on a authentic marketing campaign that the company are currently running for one of their products being sold in the UK and Europe.
The students put together some excellent presentations comprising all sorts of marketing initiatives. One class did an advertising jingle, some students put together a video, the art class designed some logos and the English class created some catchy slogans. Jayne was so impressed with the ideas generated she has said that they may be able to use a version of the material in the future and has passed them on to her colleague who looks after marketing in the company.
Significant upsurge in interest
There has been a significant upsurge in interest in languages at St. Augustine's . Jayne Hunt said, "It opens their eyes to the fact that language is essential in business today and gives them a flavour of what business is all about. The most positive aspect of the pilot for us was the chance to do something to help the local young people. Some may be employees of Avon in the future."
