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Interpreter

Interpreters convert the spoken word from one language into another, either face-to-face or remotely.

Average salary (a year)

Variable

Typical hours (a week)

35 to 40 variable

You could work

freelance / self-employed managing your own hours

How to become an interpreter

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • volunteering
  • applying directly
  • specialist courses run by a professional body

University

You can do a degree or postgraduate qualification in:

  • interpreting studies
  • languages and interpreting
  • translation and interpreting

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More information

Volunteering and experience

You can find voluntary or paid work through councils or other organisations offering community interpreting services.

A community interpreting qualification will help you get work in the community. Local colleges and some universities have more information on this.

Direct application

You may be able to get into this job if you have a non-language degree, providing you're fluent in English and a second language.

Other routes

You can take a Chartered Institute of Linguists course like the Certificate in Bilingual Skills or the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting to help you to get a job in public service interpreting.

More information

Career tips

To be fluent, you should:

  • be able to communicate quickly, smoothly and accurately
  • know and understand informal speech, slang and regional differences
  • understand the culture of the country or countries where the language is spoken

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the National Register of Public Service Interpreters to build up your contacts and find work.

Further information

You can find out more about training and working as an interpreter from the Institute of Translation and Interpreting.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • foreign language skills
  • knowledge of English language
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • customer service skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • the ability to work on your own
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In conference interpreting, you'll be:

  • working at national and international conferences, lectures and meetings
  • sitting in a soundproof booth listening to the speaker through headphones
  • interpreting speeches at the same time as the speaker and passing on the interpreted version through headsets

In consecutive interpreting, you'll be:

  • working at smaller business meetings with 2 or more people
  • interpreting after each sentence or passage of speech

In public service interpreting, you'll be:

  • interpreting for people using legal, health and local government services
  • checking their understanding after each sentence
  • available at short notice for emergency medical or police interviews

Working environment

You could work at a client's business, at a conference centre, in an office, at a police station, in a court, in a prison or in an NHS or private hospital.

Your working environment may be you'll travel often and emotionally demanding.

Career path and progression

You could become a member of a professional association like CIOL, Institute of Translation and Interpreting, or the International Association of Conference Interpreters.

If you're working in the public sector, you could join the NRPSI.

You could combine interpreting with translating or teaching. You could also move into management.

Training opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for an interpreter right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Community Interpreting Certificate Level 3

  • Provider: MANCHESTER COLLEGE (THE)
  • Start date: 04 September 2019
  • Location: Manchester

Public Service Interpreting (Legal Pathway) - Diploma

  • Provider: CITY OF LIVERPOOL COLLEGE
  • Start date: 08 November 2019
  • Location: LIVERPOOL
Find courses near you

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