A influência da língua estrangeira na empregabilidade de profissionais da área tecnológica no setor industrial: um estudo exploratório na região norte do Paraná

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate if the fluency of a foreign language influences in the employability of technological area professionals in the industrial sector. The study was restricted to companies in northern Paraná which deal with importation and/or exportation of products and have among their labors professionals from technological area. In the development of the work it was emphasized the foreign language as a professional competitive differential. The methodology used to analyze the data was the qualitative interpretative approach. The instrument used for collecting data was the semi-structured interview in order to obtain the answers related to: what functions from technological area make use of a foreign language; the levels of fluency and the abilities they most make use of; what are the procedures adopted by the companies related to preparing their workers for the acquisition of a foreign language. As a result, it was found out that the functions fulfilled by professionals from technological area which need to know a foreign language are those from basic to strategic activities. The necessary level of fluency is the fluent and effective ones and the most used ability is reading. It could be observed that most of the companies invest financially on preparing courses for the acquisition or improvement in foreign language acquisition by their works. The conclusion of this study pointed to the fact that the fluency of a foreign language influences significantly in the employability of technological area professionals in the industrial sector.