English in Colombia

Colombia is probably better known for civil war and the drug trade than being a prosperous country. But that’s changing. Latin America’s fifth-biggest economy is rated as having one of the best business environments in the region by the World Bank, and the Colombian people are taking advantage of this by learning the English language.

The capital, Bogota, may not yet have the infrastructure, but the human resources are described as ‘top notch’. Free conversational English classes run by the city government are encouraging people to connect with international businesses and encourage investment in the country.

The Talk the World programme is already becoming a success, with several international businesses recruiting at a recent graduation ceremony. Bilingual staff mean companies can expand and employ more Colombians, hopefully improving quality of life.

One 49 year old businessman is already seeing the benefits, with his software company landing contracts with multinationals that are setting up in Bogota. Mr Escobar aims to improve his English to get more business for his company.

Let’s hope English (and other languages!) can help the Colombian people prosper.

(Source: CTV)