MA/ career advice Thread poster: Goshhaa
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Hello everyone!
I've read through a lot of the posts here and found a lot of useful information. I just want to get some advice from those of you working in the interpreting field about which study route I should take.
I'm Polish and my B language is English. I have a degree in an unrelated field. I have been teaching English for 3 years and I'm considering a career move into interpreting/translating. I am definitely more interested in interpreting but I'm not entirely... See more Hello everyone!
I've read through a lot of the posts here and found a lot of useful information. I just want to get some advice from those of you working in the interpreting field about which study route I should take.
I'm Polish and my B language is English. I have a degree in an unrelated field. I have been teaching English for 3 years and I'm considering a career move into interpreting/translating. I am definitely more interested in interpreting but I'm not entirely sure whether I have the aptitude for it as I've never worked in this field before. I was thinking of doing an MA in Translation and Interpreting (e.g. University of Westminster) which would give me a qualification in both areas and allow me to see which area most suits/interests me, but it may leave me underqualified for an interpreting career (i.e. there's no simultaneous interpreting module on this course). This is my dilemma - can anybody advise me on this?
Any general advice on translation/interpreting MAs in London would also be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Goshhaa. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Phil Hand 
China
Local time: 05:06
Chinese to English
| If you want to interpret, training would be a massive help | Jun 26, 2012 |
If you think you'd like to do conference interpreting, you should definitely take a course that will teach you simultaneous. Some people started without training, but it's hard. I don't live in the UK, so I can't help you with where to go, I'm afraid.
As a career, though, I would just say this: booth interpreting is surprisingly non-social. You're cut off by glass from the meeting, you're in the booth with just one person, and there's virtually no interaction at all. In that respect... See more If you think you'd like to do conference interpreting, you should definitely take a course that will teach you simultaneous. Some people started without training, but it's hard. I don't live in the UK, so I can't help you with where to go, I'm afraid.
As a career, though, I would just say this: booth interpreting is surprisingly non-social. You're cut off by glass from the meeting, you're in the booth with just one person, and there's virtually no interaction at all. In that respect, it's quite unlike consecutive interpreting, where you feel much more involved. I just mention it because you've been a teacher, which is so intensely interactive and social. It's worth thinking about whether you want to spend your days in a booth. Not an issue of aptitude, but of the kind of working environment you like. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Aneta Kilham
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:06
Polish to English
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There are many ways to get into interpreting and translation.
I did my MA in translations at the University of Sheffield but it doesn't qualify me for interpreter jobs. I didn't want to do another degree so I signed up for a short (6 weeks) interpreting course in Oxford, which ended with an exam and gave me a green light to small (consecutive) interpreting jobs. Now, I can also start training for a full DPSI diploma. I'm not sure how to become a simultaneous interpreter...but I'm certain ... See more There are many ways to get into interpreting and translation.
I did my MA in translations at the University of Sheffield but it doesn't qualify me for interpreter jobs. I didn't want to do another degree so I signed up for a short (6 weeks) interpreting course in Oxford, which ended with an exam and gave me a green light to small (consecutive) interpreting jobs. Now, I can also start training for a full DPSI diploma. I'm not sure how to become a simultaneous interpreter...but I'm certain there are some useful courses.
I've also noticed that some companies are willing to hire interpreters without any qualification and offer to provide some kind of training.
You could also have a look at internship options (quite a lot of them in London)
A good search online could save you money but you definitely need some sort of qualification.
Hope this helps.
Aneta ▲ Collapse
| | | | | MA/ career advice | Sep 9, 2012 |
Many thanks for the replies. Just a quick question, Aneta? Do you find there is a lot of demand for Polish- English translation/interpreting work in the UK?
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| Interpreting courses in the UK | Sep 17, 2012 |
There are some good courses in the UK approved by the EU institutions (the largest employer of interpreters in Europe by far). Unfortunately the interpreting course at Westminster closed a year or two ago, but there is still Bath, Leeds, Edinburgh, etc. If you're serious about the job you'll most likely need another language, so you could try studying in a third country (Paris has a great course, ISIT, for example).
Hope that helps
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