Learn why the TOEIC® tests are successful tools for more than 10,000 of the world's top organizations.
The Challenge
The 2010 World Expo was held May 1 to October 31 in Shanghai, China. This global event, with the theme “Better City, Better Life,” explored urban life and offered opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue. The World Expo attracted 246 participating countries and international organizations, and 75 million visitors, exceeding expectations.
Staffing the event presented an unprecedented challenge. Recruiters needed to identify talented professionals with global perspectives and cross-cultural communication skills, particularly a good command of foreign languages. English-language skills were especially important, since English is the most widely recognized language with the largest number of users worldwide.
The Solution
Event organizers introduced the TOEIC® Listening and Reading test to recruit and hire new employees and identify individuals for its overseas training programs. They knew that the TOEIC test was highly respected and provided valuable English-language assessment during the 2007 Qingdao International Regatta, the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, the 1988 Seoul Olympics and other large-scale events and international exhibitions.
The Results
According to Tao Shenxian, Assistant Director of the Training Department, the TOEIC test proved to be a strong, highly practical tool for assessing prospective and current employees’ English skills. The Expo staff’s ability to communicate in English contributed to the success of this important international event.
