CREDIT: MAURICIO FRANCO
Being able to speak another language can help you in life and the classroom.

In today’s society, the ability to communicate effectively with someone is more crucial than ever. The world has become more diverse and those who can speak multiple languages have found themselves to be ahead in the work industry.

Coming from a family that migrated in the 90s, it was hard for my family to pick up on English just like anyone else of a different ethnicity. Growing up in a fully Portuguese household, the language was spoken every day, so I picked up on it quite easily as I grew up. This gave me the advantage to use my knowledge going to family gatherings as well as visiting family in Portugal who did not speak a speck of English.

Being multicultural not only helps maximize and build your skillset, it can also improve a company’s reputation and employee engagement.


As a first generation Portuguese-Canadian, this benefited me in the workplace and gave me the edge in school. A fellow classmate of mine who travelled over from Brazil had struggles with English. Through this skill of mine, I was able to speak back and forth in Portuguese as well as help him with his English. Having the ability to help others and give them the excitement of speaking their main language helped me understand how to expand my network in the job industry to potentially get jobs in different areas of the world.

In my hometown of Cambridge, Ont., my family owned a Portuguese bakery that consisted of older women whose English wasn’t as fluent as mine. This is where being bilingual came to play for me because I was able to speak with them and with customers because it is considered easier for them for a quick five-minute visit to the shop rather than taking longer to figure out a few words in English. Cambridge also has a large population of Portuguese residents who migrated over after the Civil War. Like Woodbridge Ont., it holds one of the largest Portuguese communities in all of Ontario. Hence why some residents refer to Cambridge as Mini Portugal.

When you walk into a Portuguese owned shop or business, nine times out of 10, the owner is speaking his first language with colleagues because it is considered easier. Having employees who also have this bilingual skill makes you attractive to employers like this. Which is why now, it is an optional question on job applications to ask if candidates know other spoken languages.

As a Portuguese-Canadian, I believe that it is important to consider you multicultural skills in the workplace, not only for the benefits of speaking with others, but for helping you get ahead and helping your job search become much more noticeable and considerable.
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