I am looking for a very good intensive German course that will be attended by expat bankers and other high level professionals so that I can expand my network of banking contacts in Zurich while I am learning the language. Can anybody recommend a course? What are the prices? Thank you.

Do you want to learn a language? Then go to a language school.

Do you want to network? Then it's Tuesdays afterhours at the carlton or Glocals. Or even our own http://www.englishforum.ch/members/585-aussie-lisa.html.

FYI in general bankers and high level professionals are being given private courses paid for by the employers.

Else, perhaps we can interest you in free beer?

I want to do both as I do not have much time to attend other events but thanks for the invitation

The language school intensive classes require an assessment of your German ability first to see which level you are at, then they will tell you which courses are currently available and when. I was assessed on Tuesday and the first available class, at the local school, is 28th August, to give you an idea of time scale and the cost is between 960 to 1200 chf depending on the 76 or 80 class options. As for networking, I do not think these classes will give you time to do that as they run on a tight schedule. Maybe you can ask some professional bankers if you can tag along to their elite classes but I did not find a link to any such classes advertised locally... If, however you are prepared to compromise, the Klubschule link may help. http://www.klubschule.ch/framedef_1....2347CE0A3666AB

You may be pleasantly surprised who attends and could broaden your network. Good luck with your search.

I wouldn't personally like to do a German course with such people because from my experience, they don't turn up to the classes or do their homework and hence waste time asking questions that are covered in homework. The professionals in the Migros courses I have attended come to maybe 1-3 classes out of 10 and never turn up again. Great for me because I get a private lesson when no-one turns up but me.

My husband works in banking and his boss has lived here for many, many years but has never had to have the time or committment to stick to a German course - even when they are held at the workplace.

Well if you are looking for some synergies going forward then you need to prioritize. Some of the courses may contain unemployed people sent by RAV or even God forbid, poor people or housewives ! I suggest you perform a review of the situation and upload your conclusions in the form of a powerpoint presentation for us to assess, soon as.

dave

You wouldn't personally like to do a course with this type of person...

Yet you think it's great because they never turn up and you get private lessons?

Therefore you would actually want to do a course with this type of person?

Man, you took the words right outta my mouth. See what I mean?

Is is great for me when they don't turn up, but they still ask questions in class that are covered in the homework.

TWO SEPERATE POINTS, TWO SEPERATE SENTENCES. Sorry, guess I can seperate the things that blokes can't. :-)

Separate, not seperate.

You might like an English course as well, without bankers.

My god man, she DOES have a sense of humour!

You obviously didn't get my scarcasm in my private posts. Did I spell that right?? I gotta go home now

Back to the actual post...What is intensive for you? Here it would normally be 4 hours per day (a la Migro), semi-intensive might be 3x per week. Neither are vastly subscribed by high level proffessionals because they dont have that much time. So once per week is standard. If you are already working at a bank, they should be offering you courses anyways...

I have taken a course with these type of people (swissing.ch), but also have to say the experience was underwhelming. There was far too much chit-chat and too little actual german learning for me. I was far happier at Migro Klubschule with the Brazilian housewives and RAVies - and they are up for socializing, don't expect many english ex-pats - but you want to learn German anyways

Also professionals are too busy (or think they are) to be doing a huge amount of smoozing with their german classmates, and the high level ones will either already know german or be taking private lessons with a flexible schedule.

Andrew