Mandarin ‘is hot jobs skill’

LEARNING Mandarin would give pupils a boost in the job market, three in four business leaders say.

The language is seen as an increasingly important skill – but it is hard to find fluent speakers, a poll for the Government-funded Mandarin Excellence Programme found.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “Young people fluent in Mandarin will be at a significant advantage.”

Last year, 4,104 pupils took Mandarin as a GCSE, up from 3,042 in 2013.