German for Enterprise 

Germanic Studies at Sheffield is currently developing a unique collaboration with local businesses as part of the Final Year Language programme.

Businesses in Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Humber with trade connections in Germany or Austria, or those companies keen to expand into the German market, are invited to work with our students on a language-business project: German for Enterprise. Germany is the UK’s second biggest trading partner so this is a prime opportunity for Sheffield students to get acquainted with the UK’s export drive, and for local businesses to get the edge in doing business with German-speaking companies.

The content of the project is based around the unique business needs of the participating companies. Selected businesses team up with our Year 4 students with the full support of the university's language experts as well as our Sheffield University Enterprise Unit.

We can offer a wide variety of relevant activities:

• language research 
• translation and text-writing services,
• helping UK partners become aware of the expectations and practices which determine the German-speaking market.

Our Business strong command of German and English (and often Dutch) computer-literacy prior work experience motivation, enthusiasm and commitment readiness to work hard and responsibly readiness to explore and research on your behalf

Your Business keen to expand your business into Germany or Austria looking for linguistic guidance on getting your message across to potential German-speaking clients looking for intercultural advice from young people who have worked abroad

Real Partnership Our final-year undergraduates are fresh from work experience or study placements in Germany or Austria and have highly developed linguistic and intercultural skills. They have just spent between five and twelve months abroad, often working with a variety of employers, including Siemens and Daimler-Benz as well as numerous smaller businesses, translation firms and cultural enterprises. Our students are keen to work with local employers to gain exposure to businesses and UK business culture, and to gain the experience as language professionals which we cannot emulate within the university. How it Works you put forward the area in which you want our students to support you together with the language staff we formulate a project with clear goals and outcomes we match your language or cultural requirement with the skills of our students you offer advice and feedback during the process the project will run from October until the presentation moment in April 2014

We Offer Research, text-writing and translation skills Intercultural awareness Experience of the German market as consumers / workers Final drafts of materials checked by native speakers

You Offer exposure to UK business culture and practice a ‘real-world’ project for which they need their skills as language professionals  vital UK work experience to increase their employability

The project draws on the experience and expertise of staff members in the Department of Germanic Studies (Dr Caroline Bland and Dr Giles Harrington) and is supported by University of Sheffield Enterprise. We take advice from UKTI Yorkshire and the Humber.

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