“It opened my eyes to different possibilities.” The RWS & University of Leicester summer internship experience

The language service industry is fertile ground for challenging, rewarding careers. Linguists bring words to life in every locale, project managers ensure efficient completion of tasks, engineers work with some of today’s most exciting and innovative technologies—the list goes on. In this industry, however, much of the important work that fuels translation and localization around the world occurs behind the scenes. Without insider access, achieving fast, high-quality translations can seem like magic.

 

This past summer, RWS sought to offer that insider access to a talented pair of interns: Modern Foreign Language (MFL) students from the University of Leicester. The internship’s goal was to give these students a window into the multifaceted world of an industry-leading language service provider.

 

“When we embarked on starting the RWS Summer Internship program with the Modern Foreign Language School at the University of Leicester, our aim was to provide an opportunity for students to learn about the varied and exciting careers that are available to language graduates,” said Hayley Simpson-Finch, Senior Director of Accounts, Linguistic Validation at RWS. “We were thrilled to welcome Sara and Haruka into our teams and work alongside them for 12 weeks. The RWS team was so pleased with their enthusiasm and dedication to every task they were given. They were both fantastic assets to our teams, and we are excited to watch their careers progress.”

This summer’s interns were Sara Pollini, a final year student in Italian Studies, and Haruka Murai, a master’s candidate in Literary, Technical and Subtitling Translations. Both applied for the internship program hoping to gain deeper insight into the language services industry.

 

“I wanted to know more about the Language Service Provider industry specifically and [learn] how they work,” said Sara. Haruka, too, wanted to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the translation process. “I wanted to know more about how the translation work is done, the process until documents are completed,” she said. “I also wanted to learn how the process was done in teams. I wanted to work with professionals with experience and knowledge.”

 

The program allowed the interns to spend the summer working within the Regulated Industries  teams at RWS, including linguistic validation of Clinical Outcome Assessments and translation of clinical study documents.  Both students enjoyed the atmosphere and team approach to the processes “Working within the teams was a highlight for me,” said Sara. “I will be so sad to leave everyone.”

 

Haruka had a similar experience. “I was excited about the team work,” she said. “I enjoyed learning about the whole process of linguistic validation, as normally you only get to see one department [during an internship].” Working closely with various teams helped the interns gain deeper industry insights and refine their own career aspirations. “The communication with managers has been really good,” said Sara. “They are receptive to feedback and accommodating to what we wanted to learn.”

 

According to both Sara and Haruka, they learned quite a bit—both about the industry and about their own interests and skills. 

 

“I was surprised just how technical the industry is, and how much detail and attention has to go into it,” said Sara. “[I learned] how communication is important so everything is done in the most effective manner.” Haruka, too, noted that the program improved her communication skills. “[I learned about] the importance of communication and bonding with clients,” she said. “It makes the work better for them and helps with the relationship.”

 

The program helped both students see a clearer picture of their future career paths. “I really want to continue working and learn more about the translation industry,” said Haruka. “I enjoyed all the processes we were involved in, and I feel we improved.”

 

Sara agreed. “I’m definitely more inspired to pursue a career in this industry,” she said. The internship “showed me you can do more than just the typical jobs you might associate with having a degree in languages. This opened my eyes to different possibilities.”

The RWS members who oversaw the interns were thrilled with their enthusiasm and ability to pick up complex tasks quickly. Team members found it rewarding to provide first-hand insight into the inner workings of this challenging industry.

 

This was the first year RWS ran this specific internship program in Regulated Industries, and we are grateful to the University of Leicester for their collaboration. We look forward to continuing the program and hopefully expanding it, so more students globally can gain this valuable experience. We will have three places available for students from the University of Leicester for the 2023 summer program, and we look forward to starting the application process in the coming months!

 

Interested in learning more about career opportunities at RWS? Check out our current openings.