Translation and interpretation is currently one of the top 15 fastest growing careers in the nation, and it can be a valuable skill for students in science, technology, engineering or math fields, according to the United States Department of Labor.
Department of Labor officials expect 25,000 jobs in written translation and verbal interpretation to open by 2020. According to Ingrid Schmidt, the director of study abroad and associate vice provost for international affairs, N.C. State administrators and faculty are urging students to pursue majors or minors in a foreign language as a result.
“Employers are increasingly growing in engagement with companies internationally,” Schmidt said. “Students in so many fields are going to be interacting with people from other cultures, so they are encouraged to continue with their language study that began in high school.”
The increasing value of translators and interpreters in the workforce is due to the demographics of the U.S. becoming increasingly diverse in both large and small businesses. Schmidt said that some of the highest paying interpretation and translation jobs are in technical fields—a valuable prospect for students majoring in STEM programs at N.C. State.
“Students majoring in engineering who also consider studying a language can distinguish themselves above and beyond their peers who just have a technical degree,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt also said that business leaders favor applicants who have international experience or foreign language skills. These employees are promoted more quickly and have generally higher salaries.
Irwin Stern, a professor of Spanish and Portuguese at N.C. State, said that translation and interpretation skills have become valuable for many job positions.
“There are an infinite number of opportunities in foreign language translation and interpretation careers, not only in government positions, but also in private industry, document analysis, the health industry and in court systems,” Stern said.
In a career that is traditionally freelance and unstable, the demanding nature of interpretation and translation also attributes to its increasing demand.
“Interpretation and translation can be very demanding mental processes,” Stern said. “If someone is dedicated enough to learning a language and culture, translation and interpretation are rewarding careers, and the remuneration is worth it.”
N.C. State also offers a variety of programs aimed to promote language proficiency.
“N.C. State students are fortunate that the University administration and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences are very supportive of foreign language study, which allows students to develop basic skills and move on to advanced or international study,” Stern said.
According to Stern, who is certified in Portuguese-English translation by the American Translators Association, ideal translators are those who have official certification, which is an important credential for getting better jobs and better pay.
N.C. State offers courses such as Spanish for medical students and Spanish for social workers. The courses prepare professionals for communicating with clients in the client’s native language.
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