Translation and the Labour Market: A symposium at the Higher Institute of Translation and Interpretation

 The Higher Institute of Translation and Interpretation at Damascus university organized a symposium entitled “Translation and the Labour Market,” targeting the Institute’s students and those working in the field of translation, with the participation of professors from Damascus university, graduates of the Institute, and specialists from the labour market.

The topics of the symposium addressed the reality, difficulties, solutions, weaknesses and strengths of graduates, in order to improve the translator’s entry into the labour market.

Vice President of the University for Scientific Research and Postgraduate Studies, Dr. Ghaith Warkozek, stressed the importance of the workshop, as translation is of great importance in both the professional and administrative field, in addition to scientific research. He also pointed out that modern technologies have revealed that work in the field of translation is a double-edged sword in light of the development of technologies, artificial intelligence and automatic generation of texts in several languages, which requires those concerned to develop mechanisms to maintain the integrity of the text.

Dean of the Higher Institute, Dr. Fouad Khoury, explained that the aim of the symposium is to introduce students and those working in translation to the reality of the local and regional labour market, the difficulties faced by the translator and the available job opportunities.

Vice Dean, Dr. Nermeen Al-Nafra, spoke during the first session of the symposium about the Institute’s experience in the field of linking academic work at the university to the labour market, in addition to the translations carried out by the Institute for ministries and government agencies.

In the first session, Dr. Bassel Almasalmeh, Director of Translation at Syrian General Organization of Books, spoke about the national plan for translation, evaluating the quality of work at the Organization and the measures taken in this field.