Power Up Your French

Accelerate Your French is designed for Volt-Age learners with little to no prior knowledge of French. Through interactive and engaging activities, learners will:  

• Develop pronunciation and intelligibility  
• Learn essential vocabulary and expressions  
• Begin to interact in French for both social and practical purposes  
• Ask and respond to simple questions  
• Write short messages using familiar language 

Upcoming dates

Volt-Age learners with an elementary to intermediate level of French can register for French Communication Essentials, an open-enrolment program designed to build confidence in academic, professional, and everyday situations in Quebec. Learners will develop practical skills to communicate effectively and participate fully in French-speaking environments. 

Volt-Age learners will take part in French classes alongside: 

• Professionals improving their French for work and daily life  
• English speakers strengthening communication skills  
• Newcomers integrating into Québec society  
• Concordia faculty, staff, and students enhancing their French  

Here, the group will target the following learning outcomes: 

• Gain confidence in their ability to communicate in French  
• Reduce conversational anxiety so they can speak French more confidently in social and professional settings  
• Improve their job prospects with practical communication tools and skills  
• Get guidance on how to navigate and connect with Quebec culture through language 

Upcoming dates

These online workshops are designed for learners who want to develop their French language skills for research and professional contexts in electrification. The program offers a flexible, modular approach that addresses technical vocabulary, pronunciation, scientific communication, and workplace French. 

Overall, students will learn to: 

• Use technical and scientific vocabulary accurately 
• Communicate research ideas clearly in French 
• Improve pronunciation and oral confidence 
• Apply French skills effectively in professional and academic contexts 

Registration for this workshop series isn’t open yet.

No. The pathway is modular and flexible. You start where your current level places you and move through courses, workshops, and workplace activities at a pace that makes sense for your research timeline. Some students will complete several stages in two years; others will engage with the pathway over the full duration of their Volt-Age involvement.  

No. The pathway’s courses and workshops are not credit-bearing and do not appear on your university transcript. Instead, your progress will be marked by certificates and other forms of recognition as you complete courses, workshops, and key activities. These certificates are valuable additions to your CV or professional portfolio and highlight your ongoing development in French and your readiness to work in Quebec’s professional environment. 

Skills-oriented courses but they are not full-time. You can expect:  

• Regular weekly class meetings (synchronous online or in person, depending on the offer)  
• Additional time each week for homework, preparation, and applied tasks (e.g., preparing presentations, revising emails, completing online activities).  

Exact hours and expectations are specified in each course outline.

Many professional orders in Quebec require proof of French proficiency in order to obtain full licensure. The pathway helps you prepare by building your general and professional French to the level typically expected by these orders. You’ll work on the kinds of skills these exams assess—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—through targeted activities in your courses and workshops. This means that by the time you decide to take a professional French exam, you’ll already have a strong foundation that reflects real, work-related communication. 

Depending on where you start, you can expect to: 

• Move up one or more levels on the Échelle québécoise 

• Develop the ability to navigate everyday life in Quebec in French. 

• Communicate confidently with supervisors, colleagues, and partners in French  

• Use specialized French terminology in electrification and energy transition, anchored in the LexiConcordia platform 

• Be better prepared for professional order French exams, where relevant  

They’re designed to integrate seamlessly with your course progression. Workshops help you consolidate what you learn in class and apply it to real academic, research, and workplace situations. They also give you targeted practice at key moments—for example, before a conference presentation, during job-search periods, or while preparing for professional order French exams.