September the 1st is traditionally celebrated in Russia as the Knowledge Day. Kids and students go back to school or university after a long summer holidays to start a new studying year. This day usually brings us back to times when learning was both the main activity and responsibility.

Whatever our feelings about school were, being adults now, we have come to realize that knowledge is the best competitive advantage which can make us feel fulfilled in career and life in general.
In our hectic world, information can get out of date faster than our decision to utilize it. The top paying jobs didn’t exist several years ago. Therefore, ability and willingness to learn new things, new skills, new jobs seems to be the most important quality nowadays — disregarding professions, specifications and positions. Winners are people who learn faster than others do.
Both real and virtual world is teeming with offer on training, especially business training. As time pressure pushes us into most careful choices, before making decision to do a training course make sure you know the answers to the following questions:
1. Need. What is your current need for the learning?
2. Experience. Will the course you’re going to take allow you to use your experience, either successes or failures as a basis for learning?
3. Job-relevance. Will you be learning things you can readily use at work?
4. Problem solving. Is the course related to specific problems that need to be solved?
5. Practicality. What skills will you be able to train during the course?
6. Perspective. Will the knowledge you get be in demand in 3 years time?
7. Progress. What exactly will you achieve by the time you complete the course?

KEEPING UP WITH TIME

Jobs that didn’t exist 10 years ago

What are they about? Match the jobs with their descriptions.

Millennial Generational Expert

Chief Listening Officer

Sustainability Expert

App Developer

1.___________________________________

 This job is all about social networking. These people keep track of all forms of social media to see what the buzz is about the company. Then, they pass on complaints, product ideas, or tips from customers to the various departments within their organization.

2.______________________________________

Companies in every sector and of every size face the challenge of recruiting and developing young professionals to prepare them to be future executives. Consultants help companies better understand the changing workforce and advise on how best to engage, motivate and placate this  fickle workforce.

3.___________________________________

Today, even companies that aren’t working in ‘green’ sectors are hiring people to help them use their resources more effectively and make environmentally friendly decisions.

4. _____________________________________

It is a type of computer software engineer whose primary responsibilities include creating, testing and programming apps for computers, mobile phones, and other types of electronic devices.

In the ‘Job’ section, find the English equivalents (underlined) for the following Russian words.

— следить

— сталкиваться с проблемой

— экологически чистый, безвредный

— оживленно обсуждать

— первостепенная ответственность, главная обязанность

— передавать жалобы

 

Highly recommended! The best way to learn words is to use them in the sentences of your own.

 

Your GRAMMAR guide

Who or Which?

Sometimes we need to define things or people.  To do it we can use special words ‘who’, ‘which’, ‘that’.  We call them relative pronouns.

For example:

This is a specialist who is responsible for the company sustainability.

This is a job which didn’t exist 10 years ago.

Watch this short video to learn the difference between ‘who’, ‘which’ and ‘that’.

 

Now continue the sentences about yourself:

• I do the job which …
• I work in the company which ….
• I work with people who …

 

 

Test yourself now! Complete the sentences with who/which.

I met a woman ___ can speak Chinese.

Mr Richards, ___ is a taxi driver, lives on the corner.

Where is the clock ___ was on the wall?

She always asks me questions ___ are difficult to answer.

The people ___ were stopped at the border were all from Eastern Europe.

The photocopier, ___ has a two-year guarantee, cost $2000.

Have you seen the dictionary ___ was on the table?

This is Mary, ___ is taking over my job when I leave.

I have a friend ___ is very good at singing.

Do you know anybody ___ wants to buy a car?

 

KEYS: 1. who 2. who 3. which 4. which 5.who 6. which 7. which 8. who 9. who 10. who