Abstract:

This research has been developed in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, on the border with the United States of America. This city has as a particularity that it hosts over 150 transnational companies included in Fortune 100; therefore, having English as a second language is necessary because communication among them is 100% in English.

A survey was undertaken by Tamaulipas State University students, which currently has over 36,000 students all over the state of Tamaulipas, making it one of the leading universities in it; and an interview with people from the manufacturing industry. The purpose of the survey was to determine if future professionals were aware of the need for having English. The interview searched if having English represents a competitive advantage in the workforce.

As a result, 100% of the surveyed consider it important to have English in the local workforce, and 41% of them claim to have it because of the opportunity for employment improvement. The remaining 59% state that lack of time and financial resources are the reasons why they have not been able to learn English.
As per interview results, the expert opinion agrees with the survey outcome. Due to the current manufacturing industry situation, it is fundamental having a good level of English since most of the company's headquarters are in the United States or have a commercial relationship there; communication is global, whether with customers or suppliers, is based on English. It helps as well with career growth within the company to obtain better benefits.

In conclusion, most Mexican college students do not speak a second language, only their mother tongue. However, they are aware of the competitive advantages of being bilingual living on the border with the United States of America, including the potential opportunities and benefits that this embodies when entering the workforce.

Keywords:

English as a second language, Border life, University.