Studying abroad to improve language skills or get an academic degree is becoming a trend in Brazil. In 2012, according to the Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association (Belta), 175 000 people decided to study overseas. This number is growing at about 20% per year and experts point out that an experience in another country will soon be mandatory for recruitment .
We list below some benefits obtained by those who decide to study abroad:
Take away the fear of speaking another language – Unlike a language course in Brazil, when skills are trained only during class, people who study abroad have the opportunity to practice all the time, every day.
Enhances the curriculum – In a context of globalization, more and more companies are looking for professionals who have had experiences abroad. They believe that these candidates have a greater ability to deal with new situations, to overcome challenges and a wider “cultural baggage”.
Opens horizons – The benefits of studying abroad go beyond the professional aspect. Having contact with the culture of another country is a very enriching experience, broadening horizons and open up new perspectives.
Strengthens networking – Studying abroad means making new friends and expanding your circle of contacts.
Add one good thing to another – You can combine study with travel and trips to new places.
Brazilian students of Science Without Borders in Portugal/Agencia Brasil
Maria Goncalves Reis, 19 years old, has just returned after studying in the United States and evaluates the experience. “I wanted to learn about another culture and improve my English, so I stayed ten months in the United States attending the last year of high school. I think it will help me in my life and my fluency in English”. She says she’s already noticing the advantages in the pre-college courses.
According to Belta, language courses are the most sought after and the main destination is Canada. In the next positions are high school courses and holiday courses. Postgraduate courses and study for executives are also boosting the sector. The predominant age group who seeks to improve education abroad is between 18 and 30 years.
The coordinator of Belta, Maria Aparecida Barbo, says there is a growing demand for Brazilian tourism education. According to her, the desire to study abroad has always existed and grows with the need to improve the professional qualifications. What has changed, she said, is that study overseas is more accessible now because of the increase of income and payment facilities. “Another factor is that tourism education has the best cost – benefit. You can choose to stay in a homestay with two meals included and one week of this kind of accommodation is equivalent to three days of hotel without meals.”
According to Jorge Macedo, from the international consulting and selection recruitment company Michael Page, companies are looking for new business in other countries and this fact is driving the recruitment market.
– International experience is now, more than ever, an important requirement in the recruitment and selection of professionals.
With information from Agência Brasil.