Interpreting Qualification Query [EngSpa] Thread poster: happylandyes
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Hello everyone, I have relocated to the UK after 7 years as an overworked, extremely underpaid translator in Spain. I am now trying to find work in the UK, but I was recently turned down by an agency as I do not have a specific translation diploma, even though I have a modern languages degree, excellent references and a good CV. Can anyone advise as to a qualification that would be relatively quick and inexpensive to achieve?
Additionally, I would love to go into court/legal interp... See more Hello everyone, I have relocated to the UK after 7 years as an overworked, extremely underpaid translator in Spain. I am now trying to find work in the UK, but I was recently turned down by an agency as I do not have a specific translation diploma, even though I have a modern languages degree, excellent references and a good CV. Can anyone advise as to a qualification that would be relatively quick and inexpensive to achieve?
Additionally, I would love to go into court/legal interpreting. What would you clever people advise as to a qualification in this case?
Many thanks,
Lucy ▲ Collapse
| | | | XXXphxxx (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:10
Portuguese to English
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| Quick and easy is not always best | Nov 8, 2011 |
I hear what you're saying but a 'quick and easy' qualification is not likely to be worth much in the marketplace. Did you work as a translator or interpreter in Spain? We're all translators on here but someone may come along with a suggestion on a qualification for interpreters.
[Edited at 2011-11-08 16:03 GMT]
[Edited at 2011-11-08 16:45 GMT]
| | | | Russell Jones
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:10
Italian to English
Dear Lucy
Welcome to the UK.
It is difficult to advise you when there is so little information in your profile. Presumably you provided the agency in question with greater detail.
I would suggest that you do not limit yourself to UK agencies. UK based English native speakers can sometimes appeal to overseas agencies for commercial as well linguistic reasons.
| | | | Diana Coada (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:10
Portuguese to English
+ ...
| Check out the Institute of Linguists | Nov 8, 2011 |
happylandyes wrote:
Can anyone advise as to a qualification that would be relatively quick and inexpensive to achieve?
Additionally, I would love to go into court/legal interpreting. What would you clever people advise as to a qualification in this case?
I would recommend the IOL DipTrans (diploma in translation) or the IOL diploma in public service interpreting (DPSI) as it seems to be what you are looking for. Although at the moment the future doesn't look so bright for public service interpreters in the UK.
Good luck
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| re advice (Diplomas) | Nov 14, 2011 |
Thanks to all who replied- Diana your advice was most helpful. If anyone has the diplomas Diana mentions, and think it was worthwhile (or not) to obtain them, I would love to hear from you. Thanks.
| | | | Eleanor T (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:10
German to English
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| Experience of taking the IoL DipTrans | Jan 12, 2012 |
Dear Lucy,
I took the IoL DipTrans five years ago, and since then I've gained an MA in Interpreting and Translating, so maybe I can help.
Money-wise, the MA is a lot more expensive (unless you can get AHRC sponsorship or another kind of grant). The DipTrans cost me around £600, including the fee for the examination centre and materials such as examiners' reports and past papers (at least, I think it was around £600 - it was a while ago!). Bear in mind that it's quite ... See more Dear Lucy,
I took the IoL DipTrans five years ago, and since then I've gained an MA in Interpreting and Translating, so maybe I can help.
Money-wise, the MA is a lot more expensive (unless you can get AHRC sponsorship or another kind of grant). The DipTrans cost me around £600, including the fee for the examination centre and materials such as examiners' reports and past papers (at least, I think it was around £600 - it was a while ago!). Bear in mind that it's quite common to fail one or more of the DipTrans papers the first time around, so fees for resits often have to be factored in as well.
Then there was also the cost of travelling to London to sit the exam (I was in Germany at the time. For candidates living abroad it's possible to take the test at a British Council office, but the BC nearest to me charged so much that it worked out cheaper for me to fly to London!) Some candidates pay for preparation courses, but I didn't bother as I was already working full-time as an in-house translator and so I was able to prepare on the job.
In terms of time, the DipTrans did require a lot of preparation. For one thing, I wasn't used to translating without a computer and relying solely on paper dictionaries, so this was something I had to practise (perhaps the rules have changed now and computers are allowed - I haven't checked recently). I also had to get used to keeping within the time limit. The examiners' reports suggested that many candidates fail due to silly mistakes, so I also had to practise checking and re-checking my work (and making sure that none of the examiners' pet peeves had crept into my translations). The exam was in January and I spent most of the 2-week Christmas break working on past papers.
The 1-year MA, which I did last year, was obviously a much bigger committment, but I was only required to complete 4 assessed translations per semester, plus an extended group project between semesters and a 15,000-word dissertation over the summer, after the exams. So, in a way, the translation side was less intensive that the DipTrans. However, the amount of work I had for the MA interpreting modules more than made up for it!
Was it worth gaining the qualifications? Well, I continued working in-house for a few more years after the DipTrans, since I'd mainly sat the exams for my own personal satisfaction. I then started working freelance while I was studying for the MA, so thought the DipTrans would come in handy. My first contract was with a very well-known German company, but since I found it through a professional contact it's difficult to say whether it was my DipTrans, the personal recommendation or my experience that got me the job.
I took the MA first and foremost as a way of breaking into interpreting, but thought that a combined interpreting/translation course made more sense than just an interpreting course, since a combined course would give me a translation qualification in an additional language (Spanish).
It probably also depends on where your clients are likely to be based. I get the impression that the DipTrans is well known in the UK, while clients abroad might prefer the MA (though this probably varies from country to country).
Anyway, good luck, whatever you decide to pursue! ▲ Collapse
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