Up to seven thousand languages are spoken around the world. There is a growth in demand for interpreters and interesting opportunities exist in many diverse career sectors. As a multilingual professional, interpreters translate the spoken word from one language to another whilst translators work with the written word. The role of an interpreter is highly skilled, varied and interesting.

You must be able to grasp and interpret often complex information quickly to facilitate understanding between people with different languages. Accuracy, respecting confidentiality and the ability to work under pressure are essential. Interpreting can be carried out in person, through the internet or via telephone.

Interpreters work in government, business, education, legal, healthcare and community settings such as a court, hospital or garda station. As an interpreter you may work as a simultaneous interpreter, consecutive interpreter, Irish Sign Language Interpreter or a sight translation interpreter, where you read text in one language and translate it out loud in another language.

The EU, with twenty-four official languages, is the largest interpreting service in the world. Professional conference interpreters are employed by the EU, UN or International Criminal Court where they interpret proceedings using simultaneous or consecutive interpreting. You must have a perfect command of one European language and a thorough command of two others. You may choose to work as a self-employed freelance interpreter giving you flexibility to fit in with your lifestyle.

Check out the exciting range of career opportunities as an Interpreter here and how to train as an Interpreter.