Career Advice

Interpreting and design

How many languages should an interpreter speak, and can I work in design without qualifications?'

Q: I am 14, and would like details about interpreting and translating. I'm learning French and would like to learn more languages, such as Japanese, Italian, German and Swedish.

A: It's great to be thinking ahead. But the number of languages you need may not be so large, which should be good news. Alan Wheatley, head of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) says the average number of languages with which his members are professionally capable of working is only three. "They mostly become proficient in one and then add to them over time," he says.

The ITI says it has a very small number of members who are capable in five or more languages, but that's rare. His main message is that this is not just about learning a language. It is also about learning terminology and culture. If you gain a strong command of more than two languages, and have a cultural understanding of them, then working as an interpreter would be an ideal career.

Learning the language will, in a sense, be the easy part - you then need further education in the art of translating and/or interpreting - and then you must keep up with the changes in language and culture in your chosen languages. That's harder the more you choose to work with!

Talk to your teachers and see what languages are on offer for you and take every opportunity to go on exchange trips and visits. The website of the National Centre for Languages (www. cilt.org.uk) has a section on learning languages, with a guide to BBC output on the World Service. Listening to the radio, tapes or reading books and newspapers, eventually, in the languages you choose will also help. Take it a step at a time, and above all make sure you enjoy your languages. People always do best studying what they enjoy.

Designs on a fresh start

Q: I have only my "standard grades" equivalent to GCSEs and no formal further education qualifications. I am stuck in call-centre jobs, but want to work in the creative/design industry - I am proficient in the software I use but am finding it difficult to know how to pursue this.

A: Start with an access or foundation course - you may be able to do one part-time. Try contacting learndirect scotland (www.skillsdevelop mentscotland.co.uk) - it can advise on courses, and there is also a guide to courses and qualifications on www. hero.ac.uk. You should also try the Swap (Scottish Wider Access Programme) at www.scottishwideraccess.org.

A good start to narrowing choices down would be to look at Prospects, the graduate site, checking out the options in design fields or IT from the page at www.prospects.ac. uk/links/occupations. This will give you entry and training requirements. You can then check out employers in the field. If you are familiar with the right software you might be able to approach a studio direct and sell your abilities. It's a long shot these days - most employers want to see that you are qualified and have experience, but if you can demonstrate what you can do, there is a chance you could get a foot on the ladder and train while working. You would need a proactive approach - looking at employers in the region and making direct approaches to sell what you can do. Look up also www.ccskills.org.uk and www.bida.org.

Careers adviser: Michael Cox, careers consultant, www.dominocareers.co.uk. Send your queries to Caroline Haydon at 'The Independent', Education Desk, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS; or fax 020-7005 2143; or email to chaydon @blueyonder.co.uk

chaydon@blueyonder.co.uk


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