Advanced Diploma of Translating and Interpreting graduate profile

“RMIT has an excellent school of T & I run by a group of absolutely enthusiastic, caring and dedicated teaching staff. I just can’t imagine doing my T & I study other than at RMIT, and I still miss going to lectures one year after I graduated. These days, whenever I am between jobs in the city, I drop into the school to see my former lecturers just for old time’s sake.”

Looking For a Career Change

“I was introduced to the Advanced Diploma in Translating and Interpreting course at RMIT by a fellow traveler during a two-week tour of China in 2005. I was at a stage when I wanted to do something different. I was keen to build a life-long career with my multi-lingual capabilities, and in 2006 I enrolled to do a one-year fulltime Advanced Diploma in Translating and Interpreting at RMIT.

“We received a good grounding in theoretical bases of T & I. Our ideas were challenged in discourse studies and ethics, and lively classroom discussions and student-lecturer interactions frequently teased out the best in us. I must give kudos to the teaching staff for their work after hours correcting our translation assignments. The highly skilled and affable interpreting teacher was ever helpful and approachable, and would go the extra mile to impart his knowledge to his students.

“I had an absolute ball studying T & I at RMIT in 2006, but alas, the fruitful year ended too soon for me.”

Huge Job Satisfaction

“I have been working full-time as a translator and interpreter for almost a year now. I like the freelance nature of my job as I enjoy having the privilege of taking on as many or as few jobs as I wish, but it is rather hard to knock back jobs when agencies keep calling me to fill my diary with jobs lined up two weeks in advance. In addition to Mandarin I speak two other recognized dialects fluently, hence my agencies tend to give me more jobs than I can handle. Between interpreting assignments, I also do some translating for government agencies.

“The gratitude expressed by a non-English speaking client, a member of the judiciary, a tribunal member, or the police after an assignment gives me huge job satisfaction. This career is hard to beat for enjoying one’s work and getting paid for it in the process!”

Translating and Interpreting: A Lifelong Vocation

“Translating and interpreting keep one’s mind active, and they tend to elevate one’s command of written and spoken language over time, hence I envisage doing what I enjoy as a life-long vocation. My goal within the next five years is do my job well, and gain recognition as a dedicated and ethical professional within the industry.

“My advice to any prospective student is: if you put in the effort, and are proactive in class activities, you will be hugely rewarded with your learning experience. Be prepared to read widely, and follow current events, as your broad general knowledge will help you heaps in your future career.”