In most situations where skills in a foreign language take precedence over linguistic level, there is no standard norm by which to measure them, leaving directors and training managers without practical and "quantifiable" information.

The aim of a language audit is to establish these norms and provide information about the present capacity of a company’s staff, as well as to determine the future needs of the company.

The aims of an audit are to:

1. Determine the precise language skills required in order to carry out specific tasks.
2. Establish an ideal language profile as a prerequisite to be included in the job description, with the aim of assisting in personnel selection for new posts.
3. Determine if the current person in a particular job position has the necessary language skills to carry out present or future tasks. Establish a profile of current capacity and competence.
4. Determine the kind of future language training needs and the extent to which they are required. This is achieved by comparing the ideal profile with the profile of current capacity and measuring the gap between the two. The aim of the language training will be to fill this gap.
5. Present this information in a practical way so that it can be understood quickly and evaluated by the company’s management.

The ICL team has carried out language audits for companies such as "la Caixa", Electronic Data Systems Barcelona SA, Bertrand Faure.

Observations:

In order to design personalised linguistic career plans and decide on the specific objectives to be reached within an agreed time period, language audits are essential.