The goal of raising a bilingual generation is a point of consensus among the exhibitors at Bett Brasil, whose solutions are geared toward teaching a second language. However, there is still a long way to go before this goal can become a reality. According to a survey conducted by the British Council, only 5% of the Brazilian population can communicate in English, and of those, only 1% is fluent to some degree.  

One of the arguments that explains the importance of bilingualism in the country—particularly fluency in English—is its direct impact on students’ future employability, given that there is a gap between the Brazilian market’s demand and the supply of workers with this skill. A salary survey conducted by Catho—a job classifieds platform—in 2021 found that a professional who is fluent in English can earn, on average, 83% more, depending on their position in the hierarchy. The same survey, conducted in 2017, indicated a 38% salary increase, which demonstrates the growing importance the language has gained in recent years.  

Raquel Carlos, Academic Director at Edify Education, states that addressing this issue of low participation in second-language learning requires encouraging the use of the language within the curriculum, offering learning options, and providing high-quality teaching materials. “We also need to support teachers through training and professional development programs,” Raquel emphasizes.  

According to the assessment by Cel.Lep’s Teacher Development team—Nancy Lake and Inara Couto—bilingual education, particularly in languages with widespread global use such as English and Spanish, plays a fundamental and irreplaceable role in enabling individuals and communities to integrate into the new landscape of international relations. They point out that it is urgent for Brazil to redouble its efforts and resources to equip its citizens on both fronts: by teaching Spanish, because we are part of Latin American culture, and by teaching English, because it is the primary means of communication among peoples today. 

Fernando Rodrigues, Director of Operations and Academic Affairs at Simple Education, points out that English proficiency has always been directly linked to employability, and that Brazilians need to play a more prominent role in international trade and business within a global economy. “English is the key to accessing all of this. It all starts in school, and our challenge is to make this opportunity available to more and more students,” said Rodrigues.  

According to Raquel, from Edify Education, proficiency in English is currently a requirement for many tech-related job openings—a field that sparks the interest of many young people. “Software developer, Big Data analyst, and artificial intelligence specialist are just a few of the fields that are constantly growing. To work in these sectors, knowledge of the English language is essential. For this reason, encouraging students to incorporate English learning into their daily routines is essential for them to have excellent opportunities in the future,” she emphasizes.  

Pedro Brandão, general coordinator of the Be—Bilingual Education Pedagogical Team, agrees that learning another language is no longer a matter of status but has become a necessity for the development of global citizens. He also points out that the link between “mastery of a second language” and the job market can be outdated and superficial when we view bilingual education as an opportunity to transform the global reality and as a bridge that offers its participants the chance to interact with the world in a holistic way—which goes beyond the needs of the job market. 

Virgínia Garcia, VP of Lifecycle & Innovation at the International School, believes that as technology advances, many questions have been raised about which professions will exist in the future and which ones are at risk of disappearing. “We need content that will support students on their professional and social journeys through effective communication. Bilingual education offers yet another channel that facilitates such communication with the world and will undoubtedly equip today’s students with the skills to become employable in a constantly changing world,” says Virgínia. 

For the Cel.Lep team, bilingualism opens up a much wider range of professional opportunities. This training contributes to the country’s international standing. One example of this is the tourism and hospitality industry, a field where there are countless career opportunities and which benefits greatly from its employees’ proficiency in international languages.