Iain Macmillan spent 22nd June with The Translation People’s Birmingham team to gain insight into the workings of a translation agency. Here Iain provides an account of his day:

“I teach Modern Languages at Worcester Sixth Form College and our students often ask me what kind of jobs they could do using their language skills. I was particularly interested in finding out more about language-specific careers so that I could pass on the knowledge to my students. I had done some translation of non-fiction books in previous years in various fields including natural history, history, art and design, although I had little experience of the commercial world of translation. Thanks to Christina Schaeffner at the Aston University, Modern Languages Department, I was introduced to The Translation People.

I spent a very interesting day with the Birmingham team. I was impressed by the amount of technical knowledge which is required for translation these days. Trados is a good example: this is a very sophisticated piece of software which helps translators translate rapidly and save time by recalling texts/phrases which have already been translated for clients in the past. I was also shown how project management works -contact with the clients, reception and preparation of quotes, dealing with the translators, updating the website etc.

It was striking how complex an operation translation can be. The translation of information literature for local authorities, for example, with their multi-ethnic populations necessitates the use of as many translators as there are different languages. This is an operation which The Translation People clearly undertake with great efficiency helped by their worldwide pool of translators and skilful use of technology.

The day was a very useful insight into a potential source of employment for my sixth form students who may be considering studying languages at university. I can now tell them about the world of translators and translation agencies. I also enjoyed some of the unusual conversations that inevitably occur between translators such as the differences between mushy and processed peas or what the back part of a ballpoint pen is called! I am very grateful to the staff at the Birmingham office of The Translation People for their warm welcome.”