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The Aptis English test plays an important role in helping governments and their agencies improve performance levels and increase the competitiveness of the workforce. It helps organisations across the world assess English language skills, conduct language audits on an individual level and via large scale assessments to identify training needs and progression.

This has been evident in Austria for the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS), the country’s leading provider of labour-market related services. Their role is to match candidates with job openings and assist jobseekers and companies who come to them for advice, information, qualification opportunities and financial assistance.

Proficiency in English is becoming increasingly important

AMS cite proficiency in English as “becoming increasingly important, and this will continue to grow in the future. The requirements for job-specific English skills are strongly dependent on the industry. The first language of customers and business partners also plays a decisive role.”

The AMS provides a wide range of initiatives and support for jobseekers. The competences and skills acquired through the training courses aim to make it easier and faster for people to find a job. Language courses, such as German or English, are an essential part of these programmes.

According to AMS, having language skills improves chances of employment. “Mastering languages - first and foremost German but to an increasing extent English - is a basic competence expected on the Austrian labour market. Knowledge of languages is therefore a pre-requisite for acquiring further job-specific knowledge, skills and for taking up work in Austria.

Identifying language training needs

The Aptis English test defines language training needs, for both the organisation and the test taker. It is a valuable performance tool for identifying language skills gaps. For the test taker, the test platform offers extensive preparation resources available via the Aptis website and on YouTube where they can practice before their test date.

The results from Aptis are delivered in just 48 hours and are mapped to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), providing a full overview of the language profile of each test taker.

The importance of English certification

AMS confirms the importance of English certification. “In countries like Austria and Germany, formal qualifications are very important in the labour market. Potential employers can rely on the competences and skills of applicants. This also applies to recognised English certificates, such as those that can be acquired in the English courses of AMS Vienna. English certificates increase the probability of finding work in Austria, and in certain sectors the chances of this even multiply.”

Setting the standards of English

Aptis continues to set the standard in English testing as governments, education organisations and employers recognise the need for a cost-effective, flexible and forward-thinking English test which helps to improve employment standards and employability levels in the labour market.