Mitchell Radcliffe says gaining an appreciation for another culture and being able to communicate with people from around the world was his reason for learning French at St Andrew’s. “Learning a language is also a way to distinguish yourself from others.” 

The language was already familiar to Mitchell, as his mother, Bronwyn, is a French teacher at the College. “I had the pleasure of having my Mum teach me for three years, which was really fun.”

Living with a French speaking family during an exchange to Switzerland, where he did lots of skiing in the Swiss Alps, was a highlight of Mitchell’s studies. After leaving the College, he studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Canterbury, and currently works for Beca in their Auckland office. 

He says learning French may open up opportunities to work for companies and clients in French speaking regions such as those in the Pacific, and he is already using French in his current role. “Beca has an office in New Caledonia and does a lot of work in this region. Having an understanding of the language helps me to communicate with French speaking engineers and clients. Some documentation I have to read is in French, so having some kind of French speaking background helps my ability to understand.”