Mandarin is one of the most spoken language in the world. With the current economic growth, more and more companies are located in China or partnered with Chinese company. Being able to communicate in mandarin will give you an advantage. I am from HongKong, I speak Cantonese, Mandarin and English fluently. And lived in Guangzhou, China for 5 years. Sharing Chinese culture is as important as learning the language. You can choose to learn simplified Chinese or traditional Chinese.