We know that learning a second language is great for your brain’s neuroplasticity and can lead to improvements in your working memory, your ability to process information, and can even fight off the onset of Alzheimer’s by five years – but sometimes we overlook the most quantifiable benefit of being multilingual: earning more money!
That’s right! Being multilingual in the United States, or speaking fluent English in a country where it is not the official language, can lead to significant increases in your earning potential. Not only are multilingual employees able to earn more per hour, but the demand for these employees is skyrocketing as the number of available positions grows faster than the pool of qualified candidates.
NAE (New American Economy) released a study showing that the demand for bilingual workers in the United States doubled from 2010 to 2015! You might say, “okay, well that was a few years ago now – is the demand still growing?” The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, since COVID, the number of bilingual remote jobs has surged 30%.
I recognize how privileged I am to live here in the United States and speak fluent English. This privilege is even more obvious when I consider that, for myself and the language students I know locally, our desire to learn languages had nothing to do with improving our financial position. I decided to start learning languages simply because I enjoyed it! For me, the benefits for my brain and for my economic future are just icing on the cake – but I recognize that, for many students, learning English might be the difference between poverty and financial stability.
That’s one of the many reasons that I have decided to invest my time in creating this podcast! The language learning community has helped me immensely by creating free podcasts and offering free transcripts in various languages. I recognize how blessed I am to live in a time and place where I’m financially secure, physically safe, a native English speaker, and I have access to the internet. I’m hopeful that this podcast, and others like it, can help to support English students across the world that are working to become fluent in order to better their lives, create opportunities, and support their families.
If your dream is to use multiple languages everyday, work remotely, and make more money – all you have to do is continue working on your language skills daily! (CNN Money even listed multilingualism as one the hottest job skills.)
Remember, acquiring English doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and consistency. Don’t rush! Be patient and continue listening and reading every single day – and you will become fluent, automatically!