With the growing involvement of the United States in international business and the increasingly multinational character of American society itself, the importance of foreign languages in nearly every kind of occupation is evident. The New York City bus driver who deals with both city residents and foreign tourists who speak a variety of languages, the automobile executive marketing his products abroad, the scientist using foreign research material, the social worker assigned to a Spanish-speaking neighborhood, the draftsman converting a European design to American measurements, the stewardess on a transatlantic run, the foreign service officer in Asia, the restaurant manager greeting a group of Japanese visitors, the publisher drawing up a contract with an Italian novelist, the television producer of Spanish-language specials - the list of Americans who use a foreign language in their work is virtually unlimited.

Generally, American business firms and service organizations are not likely to hire employees on the basis of their language skills alone. But a substantial number of them have come to recognize the specific needs for foreign languages, and most of them foresee a growth in the need for language skills, both in their own particular businesses and in the general employment market. And if there is one thing that employers can agree on in regard to the future, it is change--change in the size, scope, and direction of their businesses, and change in the talents they will demand. Success in the world of work may very well depend on the ability of an employee to adapt to changing requirements - to convert general training and potential abilities into active, productive skills. The engineer whose knowledge of German comes in handy every so often this year may find in five years that his language skills are as valuable to his company as his technical abilities. And a junior administrator for a city hospital may find himself obliged to look for a new job when Spanish becomes a requirement for his position - and he doesn't have it.