A groundbreaking study has for the first time explored the employment benefits of Gaelic Medium Education (GME), revealing that immersive Gaelic learning provides long-term career advantages, enhanced employability, and improved wellbeing.
Key Findings
- Better Career Prospects: Young adults who studied through GME reported that their bilingual skills boosted their CVs and opened doors in a tough labour market.
- Extracurricular Engagement: GME students are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities, building valuable skills and networks.
- Community and Wellbeing: Gaelic speakers enjoy a strong sense of community, which contributes to overall wellbeing.
Challenges and Recommendations
Despite these benefits, the study highlights gaps in support:
- Lack of Career Guidance: The Scottish government's My World of Work website no longer has a dedicated page for Gaelic careers, and school guidance is described as "ad hoc."
- Fluency Maintenance: Young people worry about losing fluency after leaving school due to limited daily opportunities to speak Gaelic.
Dr Emma Bolger, who led the research, emphasized that Gaelic education offers more than just teaching careers. The study, funded by the Carnegie Trust, surveyed 17-25 year olds and found that while many didn't use Gaelic in their first job, by their 20s they leveraged it as a key differentiator on their CVs.
Call to Action
Experts urge better signposting of GME career opportunities in schools and online to help pupils fully capitalize on their bilingual skills. As Dr Bolger notes, "In a really tough labour market, you have a commitment to something" — and that commitment can be a powerful career asset.
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