Becoming an Interpreter – Cross Cultural Communications

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On-site or Online Interpreter Training?

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Resources As with any profession, training is fundamental to becoming a professional interpreter. Training can be done at in-person sessions or online, with advantages and disadvantages to each type. Most importantly, a program should offer a high-quality curriculum and experienced trainer in order to make it worth your time and money! Learn how to evaluate […]

Why train your bilingual staff?

Resources Staff interpreters? Why train your bilingual staff to interpret? Research shows that trained, qualified interpreters can: Reduce medical (and other) errors. Enhance quality of care and service. Improve patient and client satisfaction. Reduce costs. Enhance understanding of written communications (consent forms, discharge instructions, prescriptions, legal forms, etc.). Lower hospital readmission rates. We will: Train […]

Why become an interpreter?

Resources 1. Society is global. Language demand has skyrocketed. In 2020 there were 81,400 jobs for interpreters and translators. Average pay was $49,110 a year in May 2021. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected an increase of jobs in interpreting and translation of 24% from 2020-2030 — a “much faster” rate than average […]

Interpreting Certifications

Resources So, you’ve taken some interpreter training programs and discover that you LOVE interpreting. Or, you’re just starting out but you’d like to know more about possible career paths. Either way, the more you know about certifications the better you’ll be able to choose which area of interpreting matches your qualifications, experience and interests. Visit […]

How To Become An Interpreter

Resources Can you speak or sign two languages fluently? Have you spent significant amounts of time living in more than one country? Do you like working with people? Interpreting is a fast-paced, demanding job yet highly rewarding for those who want to make a difference. Read on for the first steps in becoming an interpreter. […]

How do I become an interpreter?

To become an interpreter, you must be at least 18 years old, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and be bilingual. Since we're based in the United States, where English is the primary language of service, one of your working languages must be English. Increasingly, the industry standard requires interpreters to have completed a 40-hour certificate program, at a minimum, before being able to work as an interpreter.

What if one of my languages isn’t good enough yet for interpreting?

CCC recommends that participants first strengthen their non-native language before taking our programs. Some options for language training are: community colleges, online programs such as Rosetta Stone, conversation groups (such as free groups sponsored by public libraries), etc.

What are job prospects like for interpreters?

Interpreting is an expanding sector of the job market due to several factors. There is a high percentage of foreign-born people in the U.S. seeking access to publicly funded services such as health care, social services and education. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (signed in 1964) any organization receiving one dollar of federal funding must not discriminate on the basis of national origin and must make reasonable efforts to provide this access. Therefore, if a public school system serves a large Korean population they must provide Korean interpreting (and translation) services free of charge. Health care organizations are increasingly using medical certified interpreters after several high-profile medical malpractice lawsuits resulted from either no interpreter being present or untrained bilingual staff or family members being used to interpret.

What do interpreters earn?

It depends on the type of interpreting you’re doing and what type of interpreter you are. In general, there are three types of interpreters, volunteer interpreters (such as those who interpret at places of worship or at clinics for low-income patients), bilingual staff (employees such as nurses, case workers and psychologists who are asked to interpret in addition to their main job) and contract/freelance interpreters. Contract interpreters typically work for several organizations, either directly with the client or through a language agency. They drive to different locations and pay varies according to the assignment and employer. At the moment, local public school systems tend to pay on the lower end of the interpreting scale, while pay will be higher for medical and legal interpreters and highest of all for certified medical interpreters and court-certified interpreters.

Who are medical certified interpreters?

Medical certified interpreters have passed one of the two national certification exams (see below). They have different formats but both are equally valid and accepted. Only certain languages are available at the moment (such as Spanish and Mandarin) but others are in development. Among current pre-requisites is 40 hours of medical/health care interpreter training. The best way to get information about how to prepare for medical interpreter certification is to go to the websites of the two national medical interpreter certification programs:
CCHI at http://www.healthcareinterpretercertification.org/
NBCMI at http://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/

Who are court certified interpreters?

Court certified interpreters have passed an exam given by a state or federal interpreter certification program. These exams usually have extremely low pass rates. At the federal level, only Spanish is currently offered. Certification exams vary at the state level for other languages.

What is the difference between a certificate and certification?

A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of an academic or non-academic program. For interpreter training programs, language proficiency testing may or may not be a requisite for successful completion of the program. A certification can only be awarded by local, state or federal authorities (such as the community interpreter certification in Washington state; state and federal court certification; and the two national medical interpreter certifications). CCC offers certificate programs.

Is CCC a job agency?

No, CCC is an organization dedicated solely to interpreter and cultural competence training. Our mission is language access. However, we do provide graduates of The Community Interpreter® with a list of nearby language companies and public organizations that employ interpreters. We also occasionally send out job postings to our program graduates and/or e-newsletter subscribers at the request of other organizations.

Why should I take a CCC training program?

Cross-Cultural Communications is the leading international training agency in the U.S. devoted to community interpreting, educational interpreting, healthcare interpreting and cultural competence. It is also the only organization that licenses community interpreters across the U.S. and in other countries. We regularly train bilingual staff as well as contract interpreters. We also provide training and consulting services to private companies, non-profits and government agencies. Our programs are grounded in a mixture of theory and practical, hands-on activities.

What is The Community Interpreter® International and why should I take it?

The Community Interpreter® International, or TCII, is a 40-hour certificate training program for interpreters who are just starting out or those experienced interpreters who are looking for a recognized qualification. Subjects covered include the interpreting code of ethics and standards of practice in order to give participants a solid grounding in the profession. This is complemented by practical, hands-on activities such as role-plays and interactive group discussions. The program fulfills the 40-hour training requirements considered by many (certifying bodies employers and industry associations) to be the minimum needed to entire the field.

What CCC training programs count towards the 40-hour medical/health care training prerequisite for medical interpreter certification?

At the moment, a combination of two CCC programs fulfills this requirement: Medical Terminology for Interpreters (7.5 hours) and The Community Interpreter® International. Since TCII is open to all community interpreters and the subject matter covers education and social services as well as medical interpreting, at the end of each TCII session any participant who is seeking medical interpreter certification will be given a letter from CCC, stating the number of hours that can be counted towards this requirement. Typically 34-36 hours count towards the 40 hour requirement.

Do CCC training programs offer continuing education (CE) credits?

Yes, although the CE credits offered for each program will vary according to course length and content. Our programs are currently approved for continuing education credits by the following organizations:

ATA (American Translators Association)
CCHI (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters)
IMIA (International Medical Interpreters Association)
NAJIT (National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators)
RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf)
OCCI (Ontario Council on Community Interpreting)

Is The Community Interpreter® International a medical interpreting program?

Yes…but it’s also so much more! The Community Interpreter® International was designed to address any one of, or all of, three target audiences: medical, educational and/or social services interpreters. Some of our trainers and we ourselves present all-medical sessions that include medical terminology training and others gear their programs to general community interpreting or a specialized audience, like educational interpreting. Our TCII sessions are hosted both in a live online training context and via our self-paced learning platform. They cover medical, educational and social services interpreting.

What is your next training session?

CCC hosts sessions of The Community Interpreter® International as a live training seasonally. along with many other programs. See our current training offerings.

The Community Interpreter® Online (TCIO) is the self-guided, online version of The Community Interpreter® International and includes open, ongoing enrollment. Learn more about TCIO.

Our licensed trainers also host their own trainings across 44 U.S. states, Washington DC, Guam and six other countries. Search for a trainer near you.

How much does it cost to take The Community Interpreter® International?

Live online trainings of The Community Interpreter® International currently cost $550.

The course fee includes:

40 hours of training by highly qualified trainers.
A 453-page textbook (The Community Interpreter®: An International Textbook, retail: $120).
A 229-page workbook (The Community Interpreter®: An International Workbook of Exercises and Role Plays, retail: $60).
A 90-minute written final assessment.
Your training certificate.
A list of over 100 language companies to start your job search.

The Community Interpreter Online self-paced course currently costs $390. Sign up here: https://courses.cultureandlanguage.net/ccc_english/the-community-interpreter-online.html

Sessions of The Community Interpreter® hosted by our licensed trainers will vary in cost depending on the location and session.

Can I use the certificate I get for this program to apply for national medical interpreter certification in the U.S. through CCHI or IMIA/NBCMI?

Yes!

After I take the program, will I be certified?

No. A training program certificate is not the same as certification. In fact, in the U.S. the certificate for a 40-hour training program is a prerequisite to apply for national medical interpreter certification. In The Community Interpreter® we teach you about the difference between a certificate and certification. A good training is the beginning of certification, not the end, because after training you will need to take the written and oral exams of a properly credentialed certification program to become certified.

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