Emma recently had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at the University of Essex speaking to students of translation and interpreting at a “Meet the Professionals” event organised in collaboration with the ITI East Anglia Network. She was one of five local translation and interpreting professionals who met with students to share their experiences of working in the language industry.
In this blog post, she looks at how linguists can get involved in these events and why they are beneficial to both students and practising professionals.
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When I began studying for my master's degree in translation, one of the modules that I was most looking forward to but at the same time most apprehensive about was on professional practice and preparation for working in the translation industry. At the time, I was employed in the education sector, and the idea of setting up my own business or finding an (increasingly rare) in-house position seemed very daunting. In the end, I was fortunate enough to hear about an in-house position at Priory Translations through a friend and have been working there ever since, but I remember how reassuring it was to learn about the professional skills we would need as part of the course, so when the opportunity came up to meet students from the University of Essex and answer their questions about working as a translator, I was pleased to be able to help.
Many universities, schools and colleges run similar events throughout the year, and if you are interested in giving up your time to help out, you could start by contacting your local ITI network (or another similar organisation) to see if they already have an outreach programme you can take part in. If not, you could consider volunteering to set one up, or you could get in touch with local education providers to ask if they would be interested in hosting a visit.
Depending on the age and level of the learners, the emphasis of the event is likely to be different, so choose the one that's right for you and work with teachers or tutors to find out what activities would be most useful. Many professional bodies, international institutions and cultural associations have resources available that you can use to promote and prepare your session, so contacting their education, outreach or events coordinator is often a great place to start.
Taking part in outreach events is a valuable activity for both language professionals and students. Whatever their age and stage of education, learners will benefit from speaking to someone who uses their language skills on a daily basis, and from understanding what roles and opportunities are available in the language industry. As a language professional, spending time with aspiring linguists can test your skills, make you reflect on your own practices and help you recognise the professional skills you have gained. Not only is it a great way to share your enthusiasm for working with languages, it is also an interactive professional development opportunity and a fun way to grow your network of local linguists. So if you've been thinking of getting involved in outreach events, perhaps 2025 is the year to take the plunge?