Proficiency in languages other than English is a key skill for many State Department positions but a shortage of employees having that skill continues to be a problem, GAO has said.
A report cited similar findings dating to 2009 that resulted in the department developing a strategic plan on the issue, but of positions designated as needing to have such proficiency, employees in nearly a quarter lack it, with the problems greatest for Near Eastern, African and South and Central Asian bureaus.
Those gaps “have, in some cases, affected State’s ability to properly adjudicate visa applications, effectively communicate with foreign audiences, address security concerns, and perform other critical diplomatic duties,” GAO reported.
It said that State has taken steps including offering recruitment incentives for personnel with proficiency in critically important languages; providing language incentive pay only for languages that reflect the department’s highest strategic priorities; and using technology to strengthen and develop new approaches for language training.
However, the department has not systematically evaluated the results and thus “cannot determine the extent to which these efforts contribute to progress in increasing language proficiency worldwide and reducing proficiency gaps.”
Several other agencies, notably DoD and DHS, have taken some similar steps to address their need for foreign language skills in their workforces, including offering incentive pay for proficiency.