Moving abroad reveals something that traditional language apps never prepare you for: the gap between knowing a language and actually using it at work.

In Berlin, Harry watched his friend struggle with barriers workers everywhere face. She could lead teams, but her language skills weren't sharp enough for client calls. Her colleagues took calls on her behalf while she sat there, shut out from her own workplace.

Henry navigated his own language challenges across multiple countries. He kept meeting career-minded immigrants who'd passed their visa requirements and finished general courses but still couldn't communicate properly in their jobs.

We realised language learning had a fundamental flaw. Apps teach vocabulary you'll never use. Classes make you write essays. But nobody teaches the language people actually need at work: the idioms, the accents, the professional writing standards.

Traditional ESOL wasn't designed for shift workers or for workplace-specific challenges. It was designed for classrooms. That's why completion rates sit around 45%, and why waitlists stretch for months.

We built Lingly to fix that. We now work with local authorities including Greater Manchester, Cornwall, and Bradford to deliver employment-focused English training that fits around real schedules and teaches skills people actually use.

Book a demo today to see how Lingly can transform your workplace communication.

— Harry & Henry
Founders, Lingly