Like many European countries, France is experiencing mass unemployment (currently 10.5% of the working population and 24.6% of young people). Paradoxically, employers state that they are often unable to fill posts because they cannot find suitable candidates. The ‘Languages and employability’ (LEMP) project looks at this anomaly from the point of view of language learning. Several European studies have shown that an insufficient level of language skills has been a major obstacle to European competitiveness (ELAN, 2006; PIMLICO, 2011). In fact, France is particularly poor in this regard: young people in France actually came last for their knowledge of a first foreign language in the ranking of countries that participated in the Surveylang poll (2012). One of the key factors in this regard is motivation to learn a language, which relies on awareness of its usefulness. LEMP proposes tackling the challenge of language learning in its effort to stimulate the competitiveness of the French economy. By identifying and analysing employers’ linguistic needs (a first in France), the consortium – which includes the major public stakeholders in education and training, and France’s national network of chambers of commerce and industry – will be in a position to publish precise information on the language challenge with regard to jobs. These results will be used as the basis for a far-reaching awareness campaign for the target population (pupils in second-level education and vocational schools and their parents), which will focus in particular on the actions of career advisers and head teachers. The content and format of this campaign will take a long-term approach and will be designed to be integrated into the overall actions of the members of the consortium, thus guaranteeing its continuity well beyond the lifespan of the project itself.