Translation and Interpreting colleague
“Within our team, you quickly become very aware of our unique status; that we’re really quite a rare body within the UK government, in the external-facing translation and interpreting work we do. So, if you’re a translator who’d like to get experience of working for government and working in the fields we do, and you’d like to contribute to protecting the UK’s interests, this is a prime place for that.
I think the fact that the work is so varied is what makes it special.
Plus, there’s the variety of work. Having had experience outside this organisation, I know what it’s like to be doing translation on a day-to-day basis where really you’re doing the same thing all the time, and doing it in only one language. That’s not the case here. I think the fact that the work is so varied is what makes it special.
You’re not always working on the same subject matter. It can be almost anything. Although much of our work is on legal translation, it’s not exclusively that: it can be a range of subject areas, because we have such a broad and diverse range of government and external customers. And law itself covers such a broad spectrum too. If you’ve got big ambitions, this is real exposure to all kinds of subjects – which greatly enhances your standing as a professional translator.
In fact, from a professional point of view, this team is a brilliant learning experience. The senior translators have extensive experience in the areas where we operate, so you’ve got good opportunities there to learn from them. The translators are also encouraged to pick up new languages, and the business tries to accommodate everyone’s aspirations to learn new things. So, whatever you need in terms of personal development, you’re encouraged to ask and it’ll be considered.
If you’ve got big ambitions, this is real exposure to all kinds of subjects – which greatly enhances your standing as a professional translator.
I think what’s interesting about our team is that we can also be very flexible in supporting people’s lifestyles. We have experienced team members who work from home, or even live some distance away but commute in one day a week. Even so, you still feel very much a part of the team. The translators are always in touch with one another, sharing jobs or working on similar projects, so we’re constantly working together, constantly in contact, no matter where we are.”
