Intonation inspires next generation of translators

11 Apr 2016

Team members from Intonation were invited to share their expertise at a recent University of Portsmouth event working in the translation industry.

Rachael Cox, Assistant Translation Manager, and James Letts, Project Manager, were part of a Q&A panel during the one-day event.

Around 60 people attended, most of them recent graduates from the MA in Translation Studies. Rachael and James, both University of Portsmouth graduates themselves, joined three others to answer questions, with how to get into the industry proving to be a key theme.

“The questions put to the panel were primarily about how to break into work within the translation industry, and how to get experience. But we were also asked about the role of a project manager,” said Rachael, who has a European Business and Spanish degree.

“We were keen to promote the Project Management route, as it provides both an overview and an inside perspective, so you really understand the industry before applying for freelance translation work. It also improves your language skills because of the proofreading it entails,” added Rachael.

Along with the Q&A session were five talks on topics such as working in the EU, how to price and doing pro-bono work.

James, who has an MA in Translation Studies said, “It was a great event to be part of and I was happy to help the graduates, as it’s only a few years ago that I was in their position. The event also provided a great opportunity for Intonation to establish stronger links with the University.”

The event was held in conjunction with the ITI – the Institute of Translators and Interpreters – one of the industry’s leading bodies of which Intonation is a member.