by Portia Yip, Marketing Services

For decades, students at UVic’s English Language Centre (ELC) have been building more than just their English skills. In the Foundations in Business English program, they are learning how to communicate, collaborate and apply their skills from a business perspective.

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The program welcomed its first cohort in July 2015. Since then, 175 participants have completed the program. Offered once a year, typically in July or August, the program is an opportunity to add business-focused workshops to their intensive English studies.

For example, students spend their mornings developing their English skills. In the afternoons, they put those skills into practice through different workshops. Topics may include writing effective emails, presentations, networking, marketing, entrepreneurship and communicating across cultures.

Learning by doing

Sika Patton, an ELC teacher for the program, describes how students get to take a business challenge from start to finish.

She explains how students identify a problem or gap in the market, develop a product or service to address it, do market research, create a marketing plan, develop a proposal, and present their ideas and feedback to others.

“They were very creative in their business ideas and dedicated to learning as much as they could from the course,” Sika shares.

This approach gives students a chance to use English in situations that feel closer to a workplace rather than a traditional classroom. As part of the program, participants also get to visit and learn about a local business.

For one student, they appreciated the practical skills they could use right away and learned useful knowledge like how to make business phone calls.

Another student enjoyed the course, learned many practical English skills they could use in real-life situations, and had a good experience during the group visit and business-related activities.

From learning to confidence

For Sika, one of the most rewarding parts of teaching the program is seeing students recognize how much they can do.

“Success is feeling more competent and confident in some area of their learning,” she says. “I hope they take on difficult tasks with [the understanding] that they are opportunities to grow and improve themselves.”

Presentations are one example. Some students entered the program feeling uncomfortable speaking in front of others. But after practising their presentation skills, they started to improve and feel more confident.

For students preparing to return to university, start a business, or take the next step in their careers, having a strong foundation and mindset can benefit far beyond the classroom.

• Posted September 18, 2026