Whether you are a fresh university graduate or want to kickstart your career in conference interpreting, there’s always room for improvement and more knowledge. Yes, even if you have 20 years of experience, going back to the basics from time to time, is a must.
Over the few years I have been an interpreter, I made sure to collect certificates left and right, to “improve” my resume. However, with time, I realized, that these courses have been more beneficial to me on a professional level and allowed me to advance A LOT as an interpreter.
Now, as most of you know, I am both a medical and conference interpreter (and still have a long way to go to become a good one), so, I decided to compile a list of courses and programs to take in these next few weeks to improve.
And I decided why not share with everyone else!
Some of these programs offer certificates, that will not only polish your skills but put you on the spotlight with your employers.
Keep in mind, that most employers and companies look for interpreters with 40-hour medical interpreting experience, many of these programs and courses offer you just that!
Although this list is mostly exclusive to medical interpreters (duh, given the high demand for medical interpreters) you will find that some courses offer general interpreter training and help you get through the basics.
The basics of course are note-taking for consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting exercises, definitions, and more!
To make it easier for everyone to access, I integrated a link in every title, this way you can read the description and decide what fits you best.
How much do they cost?
Most of these courses are FREE. And the ones you have to pay for… well, they’re most definitely worth it. Not only that, but they are all online! This means that you can study from the comfort of your home, any time of the day!
Without any further ado, I leave you with the list, and of course, if you have any more useful resources don’t hesitate to share them with us in the comments section below.
40 Hour Medical Interpreting :
This training is suitable for you if you’re just getting started, studying for your national certification, or earning credits to keep your certification. ALTA’s interpreter training courses let you advance your career at your own pace and on your schedule.
Community interpreting + interpreter basics:
Interpreters can never stop learning. This training is for you whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced interpreter. ProTranslit offers free and paid courses as well as certificates.
Umass Faculty of Humanities & Arts, Online Professional Interpreting & Translation Certificate :
This online Certificate in Professional Translation and Interpreting is designed for students with high proficiency in English and at least one spoken Language Other Than English (LOTE) who are interested in developing language mediation skills to meet the needs of an increasingly globalized world.
LanguageLine Academy
Offers two types of courses:
- Fundamentals of Interpreting: A six-hour web-based course with a three-hour instructor-led phone session consisting of role-playing exercises to develop interpreting skills.
- Advanced medical training: A 40-hour web-training course with additional instructor-led sessions by phone. Candidates are able to earn 10 Continuing Education units.
Fresno State-Division of Continuing and Global Education:
This 80-hour online curriculum is designed to train interested bilingual candidates to serve as Professional Medical Interpreters:
San Francisco State University (SFSU) SFSU College of Extended Learning:
SF State offers a wide variety of continuing adult education courses and programs to prepare you for career advancement. The College of Extended Learning offers online courses, degree completion programs, and certificate programs.
Linguist Education Online (LEO):
Interpreter and Translator Training. In your language. On your schedule. Within your budget.
Interpreter Prep
offer 40 Hour Medical Interpreting Courses for those who would like to become medical interpreters. Your training can be done On Demand or through Live Online Classes.
SCICtrain: Training modules for interpreting students
Standard interpretation mode in multilingual meetings: specificities, problem-solving, and communicating with an audience.
Let me know which course you decided to take on, and perhaps we can study together!
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