English for Occupational Purposes: Transference, Expectations and Failures Mercedes Rico English Philology Department, University of Extremadura, Spain Paula Ferreira da Silva Official School of Languages, Extremadura, Spain Laura V. Fielden English Philology Department, University of Extremadura, Spain Abstract—People live in a competitive society, searching for technical and professional expertise throughout their lifetimes. With the expansion of ICT and distance learning 1 , educational approaches are no longer restricted to formal education; rather learners are urged to acquire new skills and to obtain official and professional recognition of these competences. The general framework of our proposal is the result of a project 2 , aimed at designing, testing, and disseminating Online/Multimedia English for Occupational Purposes courses (EOP), to recognize linguistic competence in professional environments(commerce and tourism). Our twofold study aims: (1) to research the transference rate and the factors that make EOP courses a successful proposal, and; (2) to gain insights into the main expectations, outcomes and failures of such courses. To achieve these objectives, twelve national, non-formal teaching enterprises delivering the courses were contacted, and questionnaires and interviews were created. The results show satisfaction with the courses and point to the lack of linguistic policies and the consequent influence on professional achievements. Index Terms—EOP courses, online/multimedia, level recognition, professional achievements I. INTRODUCTION The history of humankind has always been marked by events that alter the status quo enabling changes. Natural phenomena, wars or economic crisis give rise to movements in the existing paradigms which consequently affect all segments of society, changing habits and minds (World Economic Forum, 2014). One of the most striking phenomena of the last decades of the 20 th Century, and still present today, has been the development and implementation of technology in all human areas. The presence of technology and the world economic crisis facilitated the appearance of new demands in the labor market, emphasizing the acquisition of new competences and the constant update of theoretical and practical knowledge 3 . Work has become something that can be looked for and offered on a global scale, making it necessary to master newer competences, such as the acquisition of foreign languages as a basic skill to get a job and be mobile in a globalized market (Castiglione D., & Longman, C. 2008). However, language policy involves a great deal of regulations and norms, being one of the main concerns the recognition of linguistic autonomy (Patten, 2001). The EU defends the acquisition of at least two foreign languages (Commission of the European Communities, 2003) and aims to provide citizens with tools to develop linguistic skills at three levels (individual, social and cultural) for a better cognitive development, intercultural awareness and understanding of identity and roots. So, language competences are part of the core of skills that every citizen needs for training, employment, cultural exchange and personal fulfillment; language learning is a lifelong activity (Commission of the European Communities, 2003, p 7). However, knowing languages and doing a job well are no guarantee of success. In economically troubled times, versatility, adaptation and updating skills are necessary to thrive in a society marked by constant change. In recognition of this, the Council of Lisbon (Lisbon, 2000) set the bases to create eEurope, with the objective of developing access to Internet and the creation of a research and innovation area. A prime consequence of those actions was the eLearning Programme (Council of Lisbon, 2002) from which the so-called concept of digital literacy emerged. These new educational settings have proved to be a cost-effective solution because educational training can be achieved through e- learning platforms, omitting the necessity for workers to leave their jobs in order to master newer skills, a continuous 1 UNESCO, 2002, 2009; Commission of the European Communities, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2014; CEDEFOP, 2006 2 Technological Development, Transfer and Innovation project funded by the Regional Government of Extremadura (Spain) 3 European Commission, 2009 COM (2010) 682/3. Global Agenda Council on Employment, 2014 Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, 2014 ISSN 1798-4769 Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 11-22, January 2019 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1001.02 © 2019 ACADEMY PUBLICATION