Kaneez
Job title
Community Interpreter and Translator
Organisation and location
Community Languages Unit, Leicester City Council
Industry sector
Local government
Background
Spoke Bengali as a language of her family and of her community
Began translating/interpreting as a volunteer worker
Studied for the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting and Translation.
What is your role?
As a member of the community language team, my main role is to provide translation and interpreting services to departments within the Council and to a number of outside agencies. The languages I work in are Bengali and English. However, the team as a whole covers a range of South Asian and European languages. Recently there has been an increasing need for Somali, Kurdish and Farsi. If we don’t have the language in the department we can call on freelance translators or interpreters.
Is it a varied job?
Very much so. Translation work throughout the day ranges from very simple jobs, such as translating notices and signs, to more complex letters, reports and legal documents. Other interesting work includes making audio recordings for people who can’t read. For example, we did voice-over work for a video aimed at school children, which was recorded at Leicester University.
We can be called to interpret in lots of different situations. For example, we can attend benefit fraud investigations by the Council’s internal audit team, and Registry Office marriage ceremonies. We get called to the Homeless Unit and the Environmental Health Department, and we get involved in educational appeals. We also provide services to other organisations such as courts, police, hospitals, and the media.
What skills are important?
Accuracy.
Computer skills.
A professional and objective attitude to work.
Confidence and ability to deal with people at all levels.
Ability to plan your work and work to deadlines.
How did you get in to this work?
I started as a volunteer worker at the local Bengali centre and also worked as a volunteer for the health authority. I really enjoyed the work so I decided to become professionally qualified, by taking the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting and Translation. Later I joined the local authority’s community languages unit. At weekends I also teach Bengali to young children at the local community centre, so language skills play a big part in my life.
Any tips?
Once you’ve started to learn a second language, put it to use in a voluntary capacity in your local community. Even if you don’t follow a career in languages, you’ll gain valuable skills and experience working with people, which can be useful in any career.
Source: Paul Kingston Associates / Connexions