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Jobs of the Future: Translation for a global market

With the workplace crossing borders more than ever before, translation is an in demand career
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The workplace is more ‘global’ than ever before, and more so now that the pandemic has taught the world how easy it is to work remotely. But there is an impediment to the working relationships that countries and people can have, can they communicate with each other? 

With more than seven billion people currently living on the planet speaking roughly 7,000 languages, it is no surprise that there is a high demand for translators.

It’s not just the literal translation, but a deeper understanding of the language, of the words and the connotations of those words, the deeper cultural meanings. 

For that, you need a translator, someone specially and passionately trained in languages. 

This is especially true in Canada, with the rise of newcomers and the need to preserve and use Indigenous languages like Anishinaabemowin

Currently, Algoma University is the only university in Canada to offer a three-year undergraduate degree in Anishinaabemowin, but there are many online resources to get started with. As well, communicating with treaty relatives and First Nation communities will help find the best teacher, and with the most suitable ties to culture. 

Translation is one of many professions in what is broadly referred to as the language industry, which includes copywriters, revisers, editors, terminologists, interpreters, transcreators, localizers, and language consultants. 

The demand for language professionals is expected to grow in the coming years across North America. In Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada forecasts a 12% increase between 2016 and 2026 in the “translators, terminologists and interpreters” category. And U.S. Department of Labor statistics are even more optimistic, with a projected 29% rate of growth between 2014 and 2024.

Legal translation is another area where the demand for language professionals is increasing, especially with language rights becoming enshrined within the justice system. 

There are many different university programs available at the undergraduate and graduate level, but there are also language courses available free online, or for a small fee in your own community, which will allow you a better idea if this is the career for you or not. 

In Ontario, your best bet is to consult with or become a member of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO)

Jenny Lamothe is a reporter at Sudbury.com.


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Jenny Lamothe

About the Author: Jenny Lamothe

Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com. She covers the diverse communities of Sudbury, especially the vulnerable or marginalized.
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