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Organisations and leaders are under pressure!

2/6/2022

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A perfect storm of external and internal factors has meant that employers are in a unique situation where the power has shifted to employees.  VLLC has helped many companies who are creating a personal development budget for their staff. These staff are utilising this to kick start their language journey knowing that it not only develops their personal skills but also their professional.
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Why companies offering Personal Development for staff is that a combination of the ‘Great Resignation’, the impact of a huge social shift post-Covid to working from home along with changing expectations from workers in terms of their work/life balance and record low unemployment have all come together to create a whole new world of work.  To keep up with these new paradigms, employers are seeing the need to revisit their employees’ experience in the organisation to not only attract outside talent from a smaller pool of candidates, but also to consider the effect of the company’s culture on the current team members.  
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In these disruptive times, employees are questioning their priorities in terms of how they work, their working conditions and what motivates them.  We all know how expensive the hiring and on-boarding process can be, so it makes sense to avoid staff turnover at the best of times, and even more so in the current climate.
 
So how do organisations navigate these disruptions?  There are some basic things to consider in creating a company culture that will minimise the chances of your people leaving, and improve their chances of attracting new talent.

An obvious start is to find out what employees want!  Creating a culture that is conducive to feedback, insights and suggestions being put forward, means that communication channels remain healthy, trust is established and authentic voices are heard.
 
Most employees value the opportunity for self-improvement and learning, so it can be a win-win for employers to invest in this.  Employees who feel valued in this way will feel more loyalty to the organisation than those who feel stuck or unappreciated.  Training courses that directly relate to the job are valuable, and help employees perform better in their role – just as valuable though are courses that improve an employee’s sense of well-being or personal growth.  We all know that feeling better about ourselves can sometimes have even more impact on our attitude to our job and how efficiently we perform it.  
 
So, despite the tumultuous times we’re living in, it’s a great opportunity for organisations to revisit the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of working with their most valuable asset: their people.  In the words of Winston Churchill: ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste!’

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Would you like to do business with Italy?

25/5/2022

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Despite some of the challenges Italy faces, such as high public debt, low growth and regular political change, it also has some contrary elements such as low private debt and a sophisticated manufacturing base. Northern Italy is amongst the wealthiest regions in Europe.  As the third largest economy in the Eurozone, Italy is home to some major multinationals and has a large sophisticated consumer market. The industrial sector is characterised by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and family businesses, often with a strong regional focus. While subject to EU regulations, there is often local regulations which must adhered to. (reference www.Austrade.gov.au.  Italy's export industry includes motor vehicles, chemicals, energy, food and fashion but many employees working in Italy find themselves in the hospitality and tourism industries. This industry is really important to Italy as the country has an annual 46 million visitors.
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If you are looking for employment in the service industry there are more job offers in the north, whereas the south is a little more rural based. As said above from the Austrade information, Northern Italy is amongst the wealthiest region in Europe.  According to www.internations.org, some typical fields of employment which include automotive engineering, the chemical industry, construction, electronics, finance, and logistics are struggling. However, the tourism industry appears to have stabilized, and there are still job opportunities in green technology, food and drinks, as well as mechanical engineering.
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If you would like to work in Italy however, you must ensure you have acquired for yourself a social security number and some health insurance. The social security application will only need to be applied for in a single instance. Your Italian employer will also have to register you with social security. If you are wanting to work in Italy under your own self employment idea you must apply for a work visa. You need to commence working on this long before you entered the country and starting your new business.
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If you are looking for a job in Italy, outside specific foreign assignment, you need to be prepared for the reality that employment openings are usually given to the Italians.  It can be very useful however, to offer a certain skill or expertise in some area which may be struggling to meet the qualified labour need. Whatever you consider to be your plan, it would be beneficial to learn Italian before you go. Talk like a local and increase your job opportunities and total cultural experience of working in a foreign country.
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Sydney man learned to mix learning with pleasure.

3/5/2022

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Like many enterprising executives, Paul, operations manager for a large software company based in Sydney, was surprised to find how much fun he had learning a new language. He learned to speak Japanese with VLLC to help him communicate with his Japanese colleagues after many interpreting issues during previous communications. 
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Paul had tried unsuccessfully to learn Japanese by traditional classroom methods, but was inhibited by the grammar and by trying to translate the language word for word in his head, rather than allow it to flow freely, the VLLC way. VLLC's methodology is based on enjoying the learning experience through picture sound association.
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Paul said "It's just like meeting a lot of new people from other countries and getting to know how they live, what they eat and drink - what makes them laugh - which is a great skill to have". 
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VLLC offers 13 languages in Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Indonesian, Russian, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Greek, Thai, Arabic, Korean and English.
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Can you claim your language course as a tax deduction?

19/4/2022

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Educating yourself is so important for all areas of our life. It is vital for our sense of self confidence, well being, our brains and our employability. Processes within technology, software and workplace change so quickly, that if you don’t keep abreast of new skills and current, you’ll rapidly find yourself on the back burner of your career. Even worse, you will find yourself surpassed by a more competent, and better educated version of yourself. Another benefit of self education is that many self-education expenses are tax deductible. Read below to see whether your self education choices can be claimed.
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You can claim self-education and study expenses you incur when the course you take leads to a formal qualification and meets the following conditions.
The course must have a sufficient connection to your current employment activities as an employee and either:
  • maintains or improves the specific skills or knowledge you require in your current employment activities
  • results in or is likely to result in, an increase in your income from your current employment activities.
You can't claim a deduction for self-education and study expenses for a course that:
  • doesn't have a sufficient connection to your current work activities
  • only relates in a general way to your current employment – such as undertaking a full-time fashion photography course and working as a casual sales assistant on the weekends
  • enables you to get new employment or change employment – such as moving from employment as a nurse to employment as a doctor.
See the links below and calculate whether you are able to claim your language course. 

https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Income-and-deductions/In-detail/Education-and-study/?page=1#Specific_self_education_expenses

https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Income-and-deductions/In-detail/Education-and-study/?page=1#Calculatingyourclaim 

https://www.ato.gov.au/Calculators-and-tools/Self-education-expenses/


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Breaking into the International wine industry..

5/4/2022

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According to the Wine Australia website, "Australia currently has over 1000 wine exporters sending tens of thousands of different wines to over 100 destinations worldwide". By the value of expenditure, China is the world’s biggest market for alcoholic beverages with a 21 per cent share. 
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Our seasonal theme is based on the many members of the wine community who have opened up a new world of export opportunities and personal reward for themselves by learning a new "customer country" language during the past year. Learning a language with VLLC is possible during the vintage and maturation seasons, in preparation for overseas travel and new season's marketing to your selected export customers. Imagine being able to negotiate a deal to sell your product to a Chinese company, and handling all the negotiations in Chinese yourself! Contact VLLC about the languages we teach and to learn more about language learning and how it can apply to you and your industry.
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How Speaking a language helps expand your business internationally

30/3/2022

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Many businesses, either large or small have a desire to grow internationally. To be able to trade in more than one country not only can generate an improved income stream, but also creates considerable credibility. On paper, opening up offices or branching into different countries may look like a piece of cake but in reality, there is a lot more to contemplate, and in many cases a priority to consider is that of language. 
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English Folly. You may say “So what, all business is done in English” and while this is true to a degree it is also not the truth.  Sure, one of the primary languages of  business communication is English, but when it comes to the day to day, and gaining a strong foothold in whatever country a business is venturing into, knowing the mother tongue matters. Going into Spain, France, Japan or any country that does not natively speak English and expecting things to be done in English would be pure arrogance and therefore speaking the native language is vital.
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Language gets you started. When a business is expanding into another country it is taking its products and services to a place where its own native language is not the same as the country that is the new customer base. Communication and marketing when entering a new country both need to happen in the now foreign language and being able to discuss your requirements with local agents requires you to be understood. Even prior to establishing a base on foreign soil, discussions and negotiations need to occur and these are best done in the language of the country being entered. Speaking the language shows that the business is taking its expansion into different countries seriously. Furthermore, in the often delicate, initial discussions and negotiations, speaking the same language, preferably the native language, room for error or misunderstanding is removed. Speaking a language ensures a swift and more effective expansion into a new country.
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Language gets you down to business. When expanding into a new country a business will employ locals that are often managed non-native language speakers and the process of opening up operations is overseen by staff from the home office who may not necessarily speak the language of the country they are in as their first language. It is important to understand that language plays a critical role here and speaking the language is of paramount importance.  Not only does speaking the language help in the day to day office or factory operations it goes a great deal further to ensure a strong foundation is created where misunderstanding, for example, becomes less of a problem with face to face discussions.
Language beyond to office door. The biggest thing about language that helps a company expand into foreign territory is outside of the business. Few companies expanding into a new country take full cognisance of culture, tradition and social behaviour, of the place they are setting up shop and these easily overlooked elements of working and living in a new country are very much the fabric that drives success when expanding internationally. Speaking a language ensures a company and the employees tasked with establishing operations blend in. Blending in is powerful when it comes to morale in place of work and high morale means the chances of success and high productivity are exceptionally better than they could otherwise be.  Language matters!
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Expanding a business internationally all begins with the spoken word and being able to speak the language of the country where a business is venturing into is by far and away the most critical part of the entire plan.
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Why training your employees to understand culture is important.

9/3/2022

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Managers often assume that employees could sell the company's products or provide service to international clients as effectively as they do for Australian customers. This is a reasonable expectation, but is it realistic? Unless employees understand how the business cultures of people from different countries work, they are not likely to meet this expectation. Business cultural awareness and diversity inclusion means the ability to make decisions based on an understanding of how your clients' work culturally.
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VLLC offers training in these areas to ensure employees are in a better position to make decisions, which can enhance the profitability of the business. As employees increase their cultural awareness, they develop a more culturally inclusive and diverse mindset. They more readily accept the need for adapting their behaviour to suit the client's culture, become more realistic about their demands and more responsive to client needs. 
Through the familiarisation of basic cultural concepts and cultural values, improved business etiquette and avoiding cultural taboos, the employee can gain self-esteem and confidence, improve client relationships based on mutual respect and understanding and gain cultural awareness.
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With Australia being a multicultural society, diversity and inclusion and cultural tolerance is not negotiable in the corporate world. If your organisation needs any assistance with this area contact VLLC.  
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The Beauty of Online Learning ....

24/2/2022

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The Coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down and brought entire nations to a halt. At the start of 2020, there were rumours of a flu-like virus from an almost unheard-of Chinese city called Wuhan. A few months later and it was a pandemic. A lot changed very quickly, and the power and beauty of learning online came into its own.
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Time to Learn. With the COVID19 Pandemic came lockdown, with lockdown came free time. Less travel time to work, sporting commitments and other gatherings. Netflix and other streaming channels saw increased subscribers and viewers. Binge-watching was a global pastime. But this was not so for everyone. Some people took advantage of the spare time and good internet access as the perfect excuse for self-improvement. Zoom and other video conferencing platforms made communication easy. Online education was now more like sitting in a classroom than sitting in front of a screen and it was enjoyable.
The Joy of Online Learning. Online learning has been around for some time, language schools especially have been using the power of the internet to teach. But today, full university courses can be found online, and you never have to leave the comfort of your home. Technology has made online learning enjoyable, easy to access Zoom and video conferencing systems as mentioned above have made online education interactive, but technology goes further than that. There are many digital tools and specific software solutions that have made online learning and online training easier, less clunky and more enjoyable. All this has made learning a language online for example, easier with better results for the learner.
Improved Courses for an Improved You. Learning a new skill is something that makes us feel good, improves self-esteem, cognitive function and many skills can open up new avenues of opportunity in both life and career. Advances in computer software and technology have made learning online better than ever before. The pandemic has pushed online learning establishments to think more about how they teach and how they can combine various teaching methods with different technologies. With teaching methods and technology developing parallel with each other, a focus on producing better qualified and better-equipped students or people has become the goal. At the same time ensuring online learning is enjoyable remains a priority. If a learner is enjoying being taught, they will achieve better.
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Online Training after Covid-19. COVID19 has been the shot in the arm that online training around the world has needed. Organisations offering any form of online learning from business skills and DIY to learning a language need to be on top of their game. The improvements in online training are here to stay. Those people who have spent time learning rather than lounging during the lockdowns now know the real benefits of online learning. The skills learned will remain part of their life and those companies who have actively encouraged and even funded online training through these tough times are now better off for it. Online learning has proven itself both to individuals and the commercial sector that it works.
Learn a Language Online. Since 1989 the Vocational Language Learning Centre has been helping people learn a new language. Today the language school uses some of the most advanced online training solutions to make learning a language online easier and more enjoyable than ever before. The beauty of learning a language online is hard to put into words as it can change lives completely. VLLC’s well-developed training programs that encourage a person to think in their new language not just speak it, has made online language learning possible for anyone. Online learning means you can learn at your own pace at a time and in a place that suits you best. You are assured of the best training using the best and proven techniques and you will enjoy learning your new language. Whether you are living here in Australia or find yourself in the UK, Europe, the USA or the Far East accessing the best way to learn a language and the resources of a well-equipped, hugely experienced school has never been easier. Join us today at www.vllc.com.au and experience the beauty of learning online.
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How knowing a second language can benefit your career.

16/2/2022

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Most people are under the impression that you have to move overseas in order to utilise your language skill. While opportunities definitely are available abroad, a foreign language skill can open doors to a variety of careers right where you are. Australia is now such a broad multicultural society. You gain much more skill from learning a language than just being able to communicate in another language. The practical skills that can benefit you from learning a language can include presentations, comparisons, researching and translating can lead you to a career in a range of areas.
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Wherever your skill takes you can guarantee that your journey will be enriched by knowing how to speak a foreign language. Possible career paths can include working with a charity or non government organisation such as Red Cross who work with refugees, Aid asylum seekers or the homeless. The medical field such as nursing or medicine also services Australians from many countries. These areas of expertise can greatly benefit from having a bilingual member on their team.  Police or the Defence Force may benefit from bilingual employees as there are many areas of society which house citizens who have not yet mastered the English language and would require your assistance in a time of need.  Being a bilingual officer also serves to help forge stronger community links with ethnic communities.
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Travel and Tourism is an obvious employment sector and opportunities within the travel and tourism industry are numerous. You could find employment in the airline, transport, travel agency, hotel or tour company. You could write travel blogs, give tours, customer service or management roles.

In the journalism and media industries there are also opportunities for bilingual speakers. In the multi cultural arena which is Australia, communities with have media in their own languages which therefore requires people to write, film or produce communication and work in their language.

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The business world also requires bilingual people to communicate in the ever increasing international arena. With the growth in technology it is becoming more common that Australian businesses have strong relationships with their overseas counterparts. Staff with excellent foreign language skills are crucial to these businesses. ​
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Arabic business.....

18/1/2022

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In recent years, the Middle East has exploded as a business destination. The growth of cities such as Dubai and Doha has made them hubs for international travellers, and with this, the cities have become central points for doing business.  Doing business in the Middle East is not too challenging, and Arab countries are extremely open to doing international business. Having an understanding of business etiquette and a grasp of the Arabic language can and will make a tremendous difference to doing business in the region.
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For thousands of years the Middle East has been a trading hub. It has been on trade routes for gems, spices and in times gone by, slaves as far back as man can remember. The Arab world is extremely civilised and appreciation of this with simple good manners, hellos and goodbyes makes all the difference.

Calendar and Weekends. One of the biggest mistakes newcomers to the Arab world make is the working week. Only 3 countries, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia work what the western world call a working week. All other countries use Friday and Saturday as their weekend.  Don’t head into the Middle East hoping to get a meeting on a Friday as chances are it won’t happen. Secondly, there is an overlap in calendars used, while Arab countries tend to use the Gregorian calendar for business and many other activities, the Islamic Lunar Calendar is an influence when it comes to religious activity.  Familiarising oneself with the likes of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha for example will be tremendously beneficial.
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Arabs and language. As with most nations, Arabs are extremely proud of their language. Even the most basic understanding of the Arabic language can be helpful, but a more fluent understanding will demonstrate deep respect among those one is doing business with.  Very often there are almost formal or expected greetings and responses such as As-salaam alaykum when initially meeting, being traditionally followed by Wa alaykum as-salaam.

Like most languages, Arabic has a formal and informal form. Having a good grasp of the language will lower barriers between parties fairly quickly, once it is known you speak Arabic. Very often you will be politely asked to be less formal. However, should a person senior to your guest enter the meeting, conversation may revert to formal out of respect, should the person be unfamiliar.

A control of the Arabic language will grow ones understanding of the people and culture. A deep respect for Allah is prominent, and this may take some getting used to, but politeness and gentleness will make things easier. With the understanding of the Arabic language and culture settling in to the ways of the region will become less difficult.
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Time and hard bargains. Time, it seems, in the Arab world, moves at a slower pace. It would not be unusual for a meeting to begin an hour or an hour and half late, there is no rush. Interruptions to meetings will not be uncommon, and meetings may extend a great deal longer than planned. Arabs are, and always have been traders. They have all the time in the world to get the deal they want.  It may be a little uncomfortable, and you may feel a little pressured to negotiate, so don’t say you  have not been warned. Having an understanding of Arabic will make negotiations easier and may result on more favourable terms. The value of speaking Arabic will pay off for anyone doing business in the Middle East, and once a deal has been struck strong bonds will remain.

Arabic people are genuine, honest and very welcoming. Treated with respect in their own language you will win not only superb business partners, but very welcome friends. 

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