Scholarships for languages in demand

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Of the twenty-four applicants – mainly practising as uncertified interpreters or involved in the language services industry as cultural support workers or translators – ten were awarded scholarships; seven of the ten completed the preparation course while three dropped out; three of the seven took the NAATI test in 2021, two (Mona Abdel Qader and Nopnida Nanaen) passed, and the remaining four (including Robert De Smidt) are scheduled to sit it this year. The project lead, Leisa Maia, interviewed Mona, Nopnida and Robert about the experience.

Nopnida: I taught English language in Thailand, mainly in high schools and universities, and also worked as a Thai language tutor for foreigners. I tutored for a bit when I first arrived in Australia, too, and since then I’ve worked mostly in hospitality.

Robert: I worked in a wide range of jobs, including hospitality, gardening and labouring, as well as in legal translation, as a translator and precis writer for an intellectual property organisation, and as a teacher of English as a second language.

Mona: I worked in immigration and citizenship for Australia’s Department of Home Affairs in Amman, Jordan. My role involved a considerable amount of T&I work. Later, after arriving in Australia, I worked as a freelance interpreter and translator.

Nopnida: I did my MA in English literature, so I didn't learn about interpreting. To be a good interpreter you need different skills – just knowing two languages isn’t enough. I had to practise the required skills a lot.

Robert: Getting the initial confidence together – I’d always dreamed of being an interpreter but didn’t think I had the language competency or memory for it. Living in Spain in my early twenties, I learnt the local language out of necessity, and this led to my enrolling in a translation degree.

Mona: I guess passing the test was the first challenging part, and now the main challenge is keeping up with the new terms I come across and continuing to build on my knowledge and vocabulary reserve, in order to be able to interpret in any context and situation.

Nopnida: Although I’d done some casual T&I work before, I didn't know about some important aspects of being a professional T/I. The scholarship gave me the opportunity to step into that world by studying on an endorsed course, which I found very useful preparation for both the NAATI test and my actual T&I career.

Robert: The course allowed me to study with like-minded peers and challenged me to reflect on my decision making within a range of authentic interpreting scenarios. Although it was primarily delivered in English, working on my decision-making skills reduced the overall mental workload, enabling me to interpret more confidently.

Mona: Being awarded the scholarship encouraged me to take the NAATI test, and the certification has opened new opportunities for me and increased the volume of T&I work I receive. I can work with more agencies, as many specify certified interpreters only, so I'm much busier than before. I intend to fine tune my experience and apply for more advanced certifications.

Nopnida: I’d like to have opportunities to work in different fields, learn about new people and things, and go to new places; take part in exciting, enjoyable events as an interpreter, or alternatively work in challenging situations which are less enjoyable, but reward me with the feeling that I’ve helped someone out, that it’s not just a job.

Robert: I’d like to study for a master’s degree in conference interpreting, pass NAATI’s conference interpreter test, and work as a simultaneous interpreter in the international context.

Mona: I would like to continue to advance in the T&I field and specialise in certain areas, such as legal. I would like to interpret and translate in legal contexts: courts and legal documents. I also have an ambition to start acquainting myself with conference interpreting.