(Help) What do I need to do if I want to be an interpreter in the UK?
Thread poster: Hekichan
Hekichan
Hekichan
United Kingdom
English to Vietnamese
Aug 11, 2014

Hi everyone,
I am Vietnamese and I am looking for an interpreting job in the UK. I have some questions that I hope someone having their owned experience can help me.
1. I am learning Politics, specially in International relations and security. Is is possible for an unrelated person like me working in the interpreting sector? Because I just read in several topics and figure out that mostly interpreters learn or involve in Linguistics and Interpreting.
2. I know I need to take an
... See more
Hi everyone,
I am Vietnamese and I am looking for an interpreting job in the UK. I have some questions that I hope someone having their owned experience can help me.
1. I am learning Politics, specially in International relations and security. Is is possible for an unrelated person like me working in the interpreting sector? Because I just read in several topics and figure out that mostly interpreters learn or involve in Linguistics and Interpreting.
2. I know I need to take an DSPI exam, but I don't know whether this exam is designed for oversea candidates (in my case is Vietnamese) or just for the British citizen?
3. Does a DSPI exam extremely difficult? because in the IOL websites indicates that the course or repeated exam may take a long 5 years. It could be too long for me if I want to find a job when I am now an unemployment. ( It doesn't mean i don't work now, but my current job doesn't relate to my desired job which prefers protecting human rights).
4. If someone here is Vietnamese, living in the UK and having some experience as a interpreter, please giving me some advices like the websites and what you did prepared for your job, apart from a Cv or cover letter.
Many thanks for reading that long topic T.T
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LilianNekipelov
LilianNekipelov  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:28
Russian to English
+ ...
Well, Vietnamese is not an official language of the UN Aug 11, 2014

They may still need some Vietnamese interpreters for some events. The best way would be to contact them directly. Otherwise you may try finding some agencies which do work from time to time for the UN--for some outside events.

I am sorry. I misread UK for the UN--there was some glare on my screen. I don't know that much about working as an interpreter in the UK.

[Edited at 2014-08-11 16:46 GMT]


 
liz askew
liz askew  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:28
Member (2007)
French to English
+ ...
Contact the Institute of Translators and Interpreters in London Aug 11, 2014

This would be my advice.
Training is essential in this field.

[Edited at 2014-08-11 17:44 GMT]
see:
www.iti.org.uk/

[Edited at 2014-08-11 17:46 GMT]


 
Diana Coada (X)
Diana Coada (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:28
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Some thoughts Aug 11, 2014

Well, if you are studying politics then you might as well do an MA in Conference Interpreting afterwards. This will allow you to one day work for the EU if you pass their tests. If not, the London conference interpreting market is big enough to make a decent living.

If you want to work on the UK market exclusively, then you might as well also concentrate on court and public service interpreting. To work within the Criminal Justice System, you will indeed need a diploma in public se
... See more
Well, if you are studying politics then you might as well do an MA in Conference Interpreting afterwards. This will allow you to one day work for the EU if you pass their tests. If not, the London conference interpreting market is big enough to make a decent living.

If you want to work on the UK market exclusively, then you might as well also concentrate on court and public service interpreting. To work within the Criminal Justice System, you will indeed need a diploma in public service interpreting, the metropolitan police test or other equivalent qualification. I recommend studying with a course provider for these exams as the pass rate is about 15 to 20 percent. If you skip the course and think you can pass the exam by yourself, please think again. This is exactly why people take five years to pass the exams.

For any other doubts just contact the CIOL.

Good luck

[Edited at 2014-08-11 19:12 GMT]
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Robert Adamowicz
Robert Adamowicz
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:28
today Aug 15, 2014

Try doing Community Interpreting course in your local college.
That will give you recognisable qualification pretty quickly (12 weeks or so)

it is normally a part time course and does not cost much.

Once you have received your certificate from that course start applying to interpreting companies saying to them you are qualified, which you will have been by then


 
Diana Coada (X)
Diana Coada (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:28
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Beg to disagree Aug 18, 2014

Klamm wrote:

Try doing Community Interpreting course in your local college...

Once you have received your certificate from that course start applying to interpreting companies saying to them you are qualified, which you will have been by then



Three-month courses are nothing in the interpreting world, as they are usually introductory or refresher courses. The Community Interpreting course will simply introduce you to the basic concepts and, if you think about it, at one lesson per week, just how much will you actually learn in twelve lessons? You will not be a ''qualified'' interpreter, but you will have an idea of what public service interpreting is.

If you really want to get into this world, which is very tough but absolutely wonderful, I can only recommend either the DPSI/Met Police Test or an MA, depending on what your goals/preferences are.


 
nasim1
nasim1
United Kingdom
information about translation courses in Bristol Sep 17, 2014

Hi I live in Bristol and want to know if there is any translation course in my area. I am doing some translation in English-Frasi(Iranian) at the moment but to be able to do it as a job I need to have qualification.

Thanks


 


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(Help) What do I need to do if I want to be an interpreter in the UK?






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