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Exploring Trades and Occupations

Certified Interpreters

On this page

  • Job description
  • Advancement and mobility
  • Training and requirements
  • Main skills and characteristics
  • Personality profiles (RIASEC)
  • Additional information

Job description

These individuals transpose orally in one language what is said in another language. For example, they interpret speeches or debates by faithfully conveying the message. They also provide interpretation services before courts of law or administrative tribunals. They are self-employed or work for:

  • Internal translation and interpreting firms or services
  • The public service
  • Large companies
  • International organizations
  • The media

Environment

  • Controlled ambient temperature

Main tasks

  • Master consecutive (bidirectional communication) and simultaneous (unidirectional communication) interpreting.
  • Provide interpretation services for conferences, meetings, and symposiums.
  • Conduct terminology research required to interpret expert testimony.
  • May act as an interpreter for travellers and native or foreign language speakers.
  • Adapt to legal requirements, which change without notice and may have an impact on the course of proceedings.
  • Train other interpreters as required.

Advancement and mobility

  • These individuals may specialize in court, parliamentary, or conference interpretation.

Training and requirements

Formation

Most training programs are offered in French only.

University

Translation
Bachelor’s degree

Placement rate: 80.1%

10.2% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation
Master’s degree

Placement rate: 82.9%

11.4% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation
This discipline is taught in the following institutions:
  • Concordia University
  • Université de Montréal
  • Université de Sherbrooke
  • Université du Québec en Outaouais
  • Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
  • Université Laval
  • McGill University

Also required

  • Membership in the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ [Quebec Order of Certified Translators, Terminologists and Interprets]) to practise under the title of Certified Interpreter (C. Int.).
  • Language transfer course.

Main skills and characteristics

Skills

  • Data collection
  • Active listening
  • Oral expression
  • Reading comprehension
  • Information processing
  • Written expression
  • Critical thought
  • Result evaluation
  • Active learning
  • Coordination
  • Teaching
  • Judgment and decision-making
  • Service oriented
  • Social perception
  • Learning strategies
  • Time management
  • Solving complex problems
More Less skills

Abilities

  • Oral comprehension
  • Verbal skills
  • Speech recognition
  • Speech clarity
  • Written comprehension
  • Written expression
  • Near vision
  • Information organization
  • Awareness of issues
  • Auditory attention
  • Selective attention
  • Hearing sensitivity
  • Deductive reasoning
  • Inductive reasoning
  • Classification
  • Originality
  • Time sharing
  • Perception speed
  • Information processing speed
More Less abilities

Knowledge and attributes

  • Capacity to establish and maintain interpersonal relations
  • Capacity to work under pressure
  • Critical thinking
  • Capacity to adapt
  • Spoken and written bilingualism (French and English)
  • Rigour
  • Attention to detail
  • Knowledge of communication and media
  • Timeliness
  • Knowledge of a foreign language

Interests

  • Draft, communicate, and inform
  • Work in the arts, culture, music, or leisure
  • Work in an office
  • Carry out research
  • Self-employment

Personality profiles (RIASEC)

Investigative
People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
Social
People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
Conventional
People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Additional information

Appellation d'emploi liée (à traduire)

Translators, terminologists and interpreters  (CNP 5125)

Skill type

Art, culture, recreation and sport

Related occupations

  • Authors and writers
  • College and other vocational instructors
  • Editors
  • Other professional occupations in social science, n.e.c.
  • Translators, terminologists and interpreters
  • certified terminologist (C.Term.)
  • certified translator (C.Tr.)

See also

  • Glossary (PDF 229 Kb)
  • Québec emploi This hyperlink will open in a new window.

Last update: December 22, 2022

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