Outreach Report
Evelyn Yang Garland, ATA Director
Once again, ATA took advantage of an opportunity to educate nonmembers about what we do and of the importance of certification as a signal ofprofessionalism that can be easily communicated and recognized by the public.
ATA was invited to speak about its Certification Program at the 2015 Translators’ and Interpreters’ Professional Development Workshop, sponsored byMulticultural Community Service (MCS), a nonprofit organization promoting language access in the nation’s capital.1 The workshop was held inWashington, DC, with the support of the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs and in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank.
MCS stated on its website that the goal of this full-day event was to “highlight and embrace the work, skills development, and best practices that manylanguage practitioners are seeking to diversify and maximize their language skills, including the dual role of interpreter and translator.” Session topicsincluded post-editing and translation software, as well as best practices for interpreting in various settings. A highlight was a keynote address by ATAmember Diane de Terra, a master conference interpreter and former dean of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
As a local ATA member and Board director, I participated in a panel discussion geared toward those seeking a better understanding of the certificationexam process, including those wishing to pursue court certification. I discussed the nature and benefits of ATA’s certification exam, as well as theregistration process and how to prepare. I also gave a brief overview of other benefits of ATA membership. I encouraged participants to take advantage oflocal resources, including the National Capital Area Translators Association, ATA’s DC chapter. Representatives from the Superior Court of the District ofColumbia and the International Medical Interpreters Association were also part of the panel.
More than 50 workshop participants attended the panel discussion. The audience was a diverse group—translators and interpreters of various experiencelevels, as well as individuals who were considering careers in translation and interpreting. Overall, there seemed to be a strong interest in ATA certification,even though over half of those present had never heard of the exam.
The majority of questions I answered after the panel concluded concerned the specific conditions under which the exams are administered and how toprepare. A few ATA members in the audience shared their experiences, encouraging nonmembers to join the Association and participate inits activities, especially theAnnual Conference.
I was impressed with the strong spirit of teamwork that pervaded the event. My fellow panelists and I worked together to make sure participantsunderstood the importance of becoming certified, whether through ATA or another organization. We provided them with enough specific resources topursue a path toward professional advancement well-suited to their individual needs. This type of collaboration between groups seems to be one of themost effective ways to reach out to potential members.
Note
1Multicultural Community Service, .