Helping Students Go Global
Over 80 high school and U of T students were on hand for an exciting and informative ‘Global Career Booster German(y)’ on Friday, October 26th, 2018. The Toronto Goethe-Institut and the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures’ iPRAKTIKUM team co-organized the event, which took place for the first time at the U of T. The booster was an opportunity for students to hear from business professionals about the benefits of global fluency and the importance of learning languages. It was also an occasion to learn more about what the U of T, Goethe-Institut, and organizations like the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) have to offer.
The day kicked off with an inspirational keynote by Senator Ratna Omidvar. Senator Omidvar, who in 2014 received Germany’s highest honour for her contributions to German-Canadian relations, has been widely recognized for her advocacy work for equality and immigrants in Canada. Fun fact: She began her amazing professional journey as a teacher of German in India!
The first panel, moderated by German Department alumni ambassador, Joan Andersen, was a conversation dedicated to the importance of global fluency featuring Vanessa Laufer, Director of International Relations and head of the U of T’s globalization efforts, Ontario Association of Teachers of German President Jimmy Steele, as well as two representatives from business, Sven Walker from Dale and Lessmann LLC and Narcis Tajvidi from BMW respectively. Echoing a theme that ran throughout the event, the panelists emphasized the value of learning a second (or third) language in terms of creating career opportunities and personal growth.
Read the full article on the University of Toronto’s website.