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Ellen Bates

Ms. McGinnis

Global Perspectives

27 September 2017

Thesis Paper

From speaking Mandarin Chinese to studying abroad in London, Globalization is used to

provide job opportunities around the world. Open education and the increase of multilingual

people- those who speak and think in multiple languages- has led to an influx of job

opportunities around the world. There are more jobs geared toward those who are able to speak

multiple languages now, due to the availability of education either through technology or travel.

The platform of jobs has broadened with the help of the globalization of education and language.

The globalization of education has been beneficial for students all over the world. The

ability to study abroad has opened so many doors to new types of education. Not only in school

but of culture as well. Cultural awareness is definitely heightened in those students who get to

study in a different country. You do not get the same experiences when you stay in one place.

Huffington Post's Steven Cohen discusses the rise of students studying abroad; "While fewer

than 10 percent of American college students study abroad, the number is growing. The number

of foreign students studying in the United States is growing at an even faster rate." Creating and

building international understanding is another way to open up job opportunities.

These jobs would most likely be geared toward translating. Also, this is not only good for

people who come to the united states or English-speaking countries. When U.S. students travel
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the world, they get to go out and learn new languages and cultures and eventually bring them

back to the U.S. They can now have the same duality to their knowledge as someone who came

to the U.S from a non-English speaking country. Not only are they being enriched in their

educational knowledge but they get a different look on the world that makes them a well-

rounded person.

In the article, "Faces of Globalization: Education", gives specific examples for how

globalization is affecting education. It explains that the " University of London is actually over

140 years old, but has been rapidly growing in Asia in the last 10 years. It now has over 30,000

registered students worldwide studying for a range of subjects at various levels. A large

contingent, about 7,000 [from Singapore],"(Kolesnikov-Jessop) and many students from Shanghi

are looking for international degrees. Not every school can offer this type of program, but

London can and they give the same degree to internal as they do to the external students. All of

those students receiving degrees can now go out into the world and use their knowledge and get

jobs where they can apply what they have learned. They would not have had the same chance if

they had just stayed in their own country. Not every job that they get will be major, but it is a job

nonetheless.

However, the article as talks about the costs of studying abroad and how it can be the

deciding factor; " the huge cost savings was a determinant factor for studying in Singapore

instead of London" (Kolesnikov-Jessop). It can be a struggle for some students to get the higher

education due to the fact that their economic status does not allow it. "...success rate is much

higher than that of Singapore", states K-J. Knowing this can create conflict because the better

education is right in their reach but economic struggles in their countries can hold them back.

Making the cost of education for students studying abroad would help even more in the future.
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Continuing with jobs, now with the increase of foreign educated people, we can give

more jobs. Technology has played a major role in the education of these people and it can even

be the tool used during their new-found jobs. One source states, "These people will want to join

the global talent pool and, if possible, migrate to creative and vibrant cities."(BBC) Once people

have knowledge they will want to apply it and the best way to do so is to move to a place where

it will be easiest which means big cities with many jobs. Even though technology has aided in

the job search, these same jobs could easily be taken over by technology in the future. The one

thing that provided their education could hinder them while job hunting. They could still save

their jobs by working with technology as it grows instead of competing against it.

Language is also a huge piece to this. Language is the basis of communication and

without it, our communities and world would crumble. This is why the globalization of language

is so crucial to our community. In the article, "Language Skills and Globalization", it touches on

the need that universities have for students who speak certain languages.

One example, the languages of "The ability to converse fluently in Mandarin Chinese or

Russian is a definite value that universities and companies are looking for." (Akay) If one knows

how to speak these languages along with English it makes them a prime candidate. The source

states, "Multilingual speakers hold an advantage over their colleagues" (Akay). They don’t just

search for those who know how to speak it; it's even better if you have adapted to thinking in that

language as well. When one is able to speak and think in a language their understanding of the

way of the people is increased and they can better relate to that culture. It improves cultural

diversity and also helps them develop an expert level of understanding for translation jobs.

Some struggles that can come from the globalization of language is that sometimes the

person will lose their native language. This drawback was explained in the article "Globalization
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Spells the Death of Minority Languages". The South China Morning Post writer expresses his

concern of losing minority languages. He gives the insight that, "Some linguists argue that

language death is a natural development and that languages survive only as long as they are

useful..."(SCMP) If a student were to come to the United States and their native language is

already in the minority, then it would be very easy for them to integrate into our culture and

language and forget theirs. However, that can be the sacrifice that some are willing to make in

order to live a better life.

The topic of globalization on jobs needs to be addressed as well when talking about the

opportunities available. Globalization can also be used help those in poverty stricken areas to

find jobs. It is the tool that can be and is being used to "bridge the gap in developing economies"

(Brown). This focuses on the low working class and trying to fix the issue of low pay. This is

where the benefits of the globalization of education and language comes in again. When these

low working citizens are given the opportunity to study and have the same chance at a degree, it

can increase their chances of finding an appropriate job that uses their skills and even their

language.

Each of these sections: education, language, and jobs, come together to give the overall

conclusion that they assist in providing jobs to the lower working class and people all over the

world. This does not just happen on an international level, it affects people locally and

nationally. The travel of students from Singapore to London is only one example of how it

affects people internationally. This can also cause a change in the economy of the hosting

countries of all of the immigrant citizens. The overall effect of this issue is beneficial to every

party involved; the hosting countries the learners and the countries sending these students out
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into the world. The sacrifices made to better themselves and learn new skills is worth it in the

end wren they can be educated and have a higher paying job.

Reflection

At the beginning of the paper, in the research process, there were so many new things that

I learned. I originally had a negative outlook on globalization because I was unaware of its

benefits. I did not know of the good things it does for foreign people in our country. I had only

seen the negative views given by the news and had never thought to look into it myself. I have

found out that education is more important and precious to other countries and we tend to take it

for granted. We don’t think about all of the opportunities that we have because we have very

accessible education. Other countries send their students here and other developed countries just

so they can get a job and support themselves. My eyes were definitely opened to the pros of

globalization and my view on education has changed for the better.

Works Cited

Cohen, Steven. “The Globalization of Education and Sustainability Management.” The

Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 10 Mar. 2014,

www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/the-globalization-of-educ_b_4934023.html.

Gratton, Viewpoint Prof Lynda. “The Globalisation of Work - and People.” BBC News, BBC, 7

Sept. 2012, www.bbc.com/news/business-19476254.

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Volodzko, David. “Globalisation Spells the Death of Minority Cultures.” South China Morning

Post, 23 Mar. 2015, www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-

education/article/1742863/globalisation-spells-death-minority-cultures.

Akay, Leyla. "Language skills & globalization." Skipping Stones, Jan.-Feb. 2012, p. 13. Student

Resources in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A278274262/SUIC?u=tel_k_john&xid=3c27a2cb. Accessed 19

Sept. 2017.

"Faces of Globalization: Education." UPI Archive: General News, 18 Mar. 2004. Student

Resources in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A440271522/SUIC?u=tel_k_john&xid=4482cddd. Accessed 21

Sept. 2017.

"Globalization can be remade to work for everyone." CNN Wire, 16 Jan. 2017. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A477658745/OVIC?u=tel_k_john&xid=56e2d4e1. Accessed 19

Sept. 2017
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