Does studying translation and interpreting translate into an actual working degree? The answer is a resounding YES. Several well accredited universities and specialty schools offer foreign language degrees up to the Master’s level. With more and more translation specialists being needed in the business and academic world, and a steadily rising shortage of qualified interpreters affecting the field, a degree in foreign language specialties is not only in demand, but also very lucrative, providing competitive wages in an ever growing industry.

Interpreters and Translators

Median annual wages, May 2012

• Media and communication workers

           $50,930

• Interpreters and translators

           $45,430

• Total, all occupations

           $34,750

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ,Occupational Employment Statistics

Degrees in the Translation and Interpreting Industry

A Master’s degree or PhD in translations, or translation studies, encompasses a comprehensive interdisciplinary program. These programs involve historical, literary, and scientific academics while at the same time establishing general multi-lingual translation skills.

Translation field graduates are generally qualified to work with the expanding corporate translation industry, government agencies, and even with software developers who commonly distribute their products worldwide. Graduates who pursue PhDs often stay in the academic fields, teaching linguistics or translating. Like many humanities degrees, a Master’s or PhD in translation studies allows the student to customize his/her program to their own preferences and specialties.

Top 5 Universities with graduate programs:

• Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Offers a two year Master of Arts in Translation and a PhD in Translation Studies.

• Monterey Institute, Monterey, California
  

The Monterey Institute offers an M.A. in Translation, an M.A. in Translation & Localization Management, an M.A. in Translation & Interpretation, and an M.A. in Conference Interpretation.

• SUNY Binghamton, New York State University, Binghamton
  

The school focuses on the PhD level in Translation Studies – the university also offers a Graduate Certificate in Translation Research and Instruction, and an undergraduate Minor in Translation – The institution does not offer an MA program though.

• The Center for Translation Studies, University of Texas, Dallas
  

Degree plans are specifically designed for translation studies that supply broad general backgrounds in one or more of three areas: Literary Studies, History of Ideas, and Aesthetic Studies.

• Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.
  

Programs and services at this university are specifically designed to accommodate the deaf and hard of hearing, Gallaudet is a prominent leader in the field of ASL and Deaf Studies. Instead of a degree in Translation Studies, Gallaudet offers a Masters of Arts in Interpretation, specifically American Sign Language interpretation.

Translating opportunities at the Certificate level

Many opportunities in the translation industry can be achieved at the certificate level as well. Jobs within the court system, medical fields, and in translating multilingual conferences, are all reachable with a certificate in translation services at the professional level.

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Translation services are a growing necessity in all forms of modern professional business establishments, teaching and academic fields, medical, hospital, and transcription services, and global trade industries in the new millennium. Making sure that a company or institution has the right translation services is also paramount to successfully enter or dominate the world market. Let the professionals at Translation Central provide your present or future translating needs. Start now by Contacting Us for further information.

Among the G8 countries, Canada had the largest foreign-born population at the time, at 20.6 %, which was followed by the United States at 12.9 %. With the Asian market still expanding in 2015, the ever-growing need for global translation services has fueled the shortage and the demand in the business world for proficient translators.

“Country of birth data USA” by Kransky – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_canada. Licensed under CC BY-SA 1.0 via Wikipedia.

Why do I need to hire a translator?

It bridges the gap

Translation services provide a business with an effective, locally ethnic, and globally oriented communication system. This enhances a business’s ability to compete in a growingly cross-cultural and multi-lingual business environment. With 2015’s brighter outlook on business opportunities worldwide, markets around the globe are steadily emerging in more and more remote places, which unfortunately for Western companies, usually speak little or no English.

It’s instantaneous

Outsourcing your translation needs is an efficient and cost effective business practice. Outsourcing provides instant access to the expertise and technical resources that are needed in order to perform translations, without the costly and time-consuming chore of having to constantly hire and properly train an in-house translation staff.

Statistically, it makes sense

Brazil, Russia, India and China, the (BRIC), together account for more than 40 percent of the world’s population. It is predicted that in the not too distant future, the BRIC economies might eventually overtake even today’s top world list of economically rich countries.

By Mjolnir1984 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Why shouldn’t I do my own translation work?

You’ll waste time

Doing one’s own translation services is economically inefficient and time consuming; it includes a lot of extensive research finding out precise terminologies.  It also eats up valuable time and resources by having to look up online information about the subject language, or purchasing and having to exhaustively look through expensive “How To” books.

You’ll lack inside knowledge

Hiring a professional translation firm will automatically keep track of important industry tactics and standards, like your style of linguistic preferences and exact terminology in order to ensure that no matter what human resource circumstances change in the workplace, the quality of your language interpretation services remain the same for your clients, and current or potential customers.

Top 10 Tips for hiring a Translator:

1. Make sure when hiring a translator, that they have an in-depth knowledge of the languages that are to be used, and that they also have an experienced working knowledge of the cultures that are to be involved. Don’t assume that being multi-lingual makes one a suitable translator.

2. Be specific about your needs – what do you need translated? Will it be primarily on paper, brochures, a website, or all three? Are your needs regional, global, or dialect specific? What deadlines and time frames do you need adhered to?  The translator needs to interview you as much as you need to interview them. If they are well experienced, they will know of, and utilize this fact to both your advantages.

3. Always make sure to ask how much it is going to cost for translation services, what is provided, and how long it will take for the translation services to be provided to you, along with the availability of future services.

4. Be willing to pay a reasonable fee for good translation services. This is one of those situations where you get what you pay for.  The quality of a translation is a must; the business risks of being cheap are not financially worth it.

5. Ask about what services the translator specializes in. They might turn out to be good at one aspect of your translation needs, but not proficient in another. Don’t wait to find this out until it’s too late.

6. Make sure to ask about what kind of assurances are in place about the quality of the translations to be provided.  What resolution processes are going to be employed if you are unsatisfied with the outcome of the service, or services that were provided?

7. Foreign language services are not normally performed by in-house teams. The work is far too specialized to be efficiently performed onsite. It is highly recommended to use outsourcing instead, this is the preferred method most businesses use when hiring a translator.

8. If you are thinking of hiring a professional translating company, ask about the criteria they use for hiring their translators. For example, their certifications, whether they’re native tongue speakers, their experience, etc.

9. It is also recommended that if you are going to use an outsourced translation service, that you pick a fairly large professional translation agency.  This way you will have access to a wider range of tools for managing your translation projects. They also have a larger pool of translators, and more service options to offer you.

10. Build a lasting and productive working relationship with a preferred chosen translator who has proven themselves trustworthy.

Statistics on the growing opportunities available to North American corporations, businesses, and associations do not lie. Now is the perfect time to join the global marketplace and promote your brand, product, service, or association’s mission statement worldwide. Let the experienced professionals at Translation Central provide you with the best translation services in the industry. Contact Us in order to get started on entering the new world market today!

For decades now, Europe and North America have been the dominant forces in the translation service industry. But with the enormous growth rate of Asian companies that have been out-pacing the world marketplace, language translation companies have been scrambling to bridge the gap between the East and West by providing companies with an important and integral part of a successful global business relationship – accurate worldwide communication!

Europe

Europe’s translation market has been steadily growing in the E.U., which was once exclusively pertained to French, Italian, German, and Spanish speaking regional translators. With the creation of the European Union, Europe’s bureaucracies must now communicate in over 23 different languages in order to facilitate their governmental duties. For this reason, the need for consistent translation services has grown exponentially across the E.U.

The U.S.

The U.S. translation industry brought in over $5 billion dollars in 2014, up from $4 billion in 2013, taking control of its share in a $40 billion dollar global industry. The language translation business is projected to grow to $10 billion plus in the United States by 2020. Language translation is used in the United States in a number of different ways; translation services are used as a vital tool in U.S. commerce,  and also for mining data in different languages for major marketing campaigns in big businesses, where companies sift through, and buy and sell user information collected from social media channels worldwide.

Growth (and projected growth) of translation industries in the United States. Image via Analyst

Australia

Australia has been clamoring to keep up with demand for translation services, due to the high influx of foreign refugees who have fled in the last decade from the volatile and war torn Middle East or African nations, for the relative safety and sanctuary of Australia’s shores.

In Australia, interpreters who have English and Chinese language skills are in especially high demand. These are of great use to the country’s governmental agencies and departments, such as customs, immigration, their legal and health systems, welfare, and other community-based outfits; on the coast or in the outback.

Canada

Canada has a diverse set of cultures, which historically has been using English and French as their two main primary languages. Canada brings in approximately 10% of the global multi-billion dollar translation industry, even though the country only holds 0.5% of the world’s population. Canada, still holding on tight to its “official” languages, has approximately 90% of its translation done from (and to) French and English.

North American translating services are projected to grow over 40% by the year 2020. China is also quickly moving into the global business spotlight in the new millennium; Chinese to English interpreters are in very high demand in Canada, showing how more advanced technology, and better economics in the Asian country has shifted the translation market to face towards the East.

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While smartphones now come equipped with applications that can translate several different languages, they cannot compete with a human interpreter’s intellect, their understanding of cultural differences, and abilities to adapt to abstract cultural references.  Let Translation Central provide you with the best translation services in the business – Contact Us to get started today!