• British Council

English for the Workplace

This course for English learners helps you to develop the language you need to find a job and succeed in the workplace.

619,766 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Develop your workplace English skills

This course is for people who are learning English and are interested in developing English language skills for employability and workplace contexts. It will help job seekers and young professionals with the English they need.

Each week, we’ll focus on key aspects of English for the workplace. You’ll watch videos and listen to audio recordings of people in various situations. This includes those searching and applying for jobs, preparing for and taking interviews, and those starting their new jobs and working with new colleagues.

Our experienced tutor will examine some of the language used and draw your attention to useful points to improve your English in workplace contexts.

Learn some key business English vocabulary

The course does not follow a language syllabus but takes workplace English as its starting point. It offers functional language phrases and real, authentic workplace scenarios. Short quizzes and discussions will help you measure your understanding and practise your English.

As you progress through the various topics, you’ll learn plenty of business English vocabulary and workplace English expressions that you can use at work and when applying for jobs.

Improve your skills in English at work

As well as practising workplace English and learning some workplace English expressions, you’ll examine what makes a successful job application and interview.

Throughout the course, you’ll be asked to share your opinions, ideas and questions with other learners. The best way to get the most out of the course is to be prepared to join in and share your experiences.

What topics will you cover?

Finding a job

  • What do you want from a job?
  • Talking about likes and dislikes
  • Talking about your job
  • Job advertisements
  • Applying for a job

Interviews

  • Preparing for job interviews
  • The language of obligation
  • Talking about your skills and experience
  • Interview technique

Starting a job

  • Talking about job offers
  • Line management
  • Rules and regulations at work

Working together

  • Meeting new colleagues
  • Checking understanding
  • Team building activities
  • Making suggestions, agreeing and disagreeing

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Evaluate their skill set and the kind of employment they would like.
  • Improve English language performance in key areas of applications and interviews.
  • Reflect on the factors involved in successful applications and interviews.
  • Identify the elements of working together successfully.

Who is the course for?

This course is aimed at non-native English speakers who have studied English to at least pre-intermediate level (approximately A2 on the CEFR). Those interested in improving their business English for the workplace will find new vocabulary and phrases to use at work.

What do people say about this course?

It was real pleasure to follow this MOOC.

"It was real pleasure to follow this MOOC, very good quality and excellent teachers who interact with students, that is the greatest point, thanks a million!"

Who will you learn with?

I've taught English in Hungary, Romania, China and the UK. At the moment I teach in Shetland and I also write English language teaching materials.

Who developed the course?

British Council

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million people overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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