Training

Interpreting Wellington trains and employs interpreters in some 70 languages. Our interpreters work in person (onsite) or by telephone. They may travel to different regions of New Zealand and handle calls from all parts of the country and overseas.

We recruit people who are very proficient speakers of English and another language. We particularly need languages spoken by refugees and new migrants to New Zealand.

To train as an interpreter, you need to be

• generally available during normal working hours
• a NZ citizen or holder of Permanent Residence status
• living in NZ for 18 months or more
• well educated, with a broad general knowledge
• keen to learn and expand your horizons
• mature and of high moral integrity.

Introductory in-house courses are run six-monthly. They consist of 17 weeks (approximately 50 hours) of evening and Saturday morning classes and language laboratory work. They are delivered by a NAATI-qualified trainer with extensive teaching and interpreting experience. A token charge is made. A written test and oral assessment take place at the end of the course. The training programme is specifically designed as in-house training for interpreters who will work for Interpreting Wellington.

To apply for the next Wellington based course starting on 9 March 2009, please complete and return the application form (Word or PDF) by 23 January.

To apply for the Christchurch based course starting in May 2009, please complete and return the application form (Word or PDF). For more information, see the notice to applicants (Word or PDF).

Experienced interpreters with existing qualifications, desirably NAATI or Diploma in Sign Language Interpreting, are encouraged to contact us at any time of the year.

Keeping on learning

Interpreters never finish learning. Interpreting Wellington runs a selection of short professional development courses each year for qualified interpreters who are contracted to us. Subjects include medical conditions and treatments, ethics and behaviours, and the functions of enforcement agencies. Interpreters are trained for the demanding area of Court interpreting in a series of advanced courses.

Our current programme is regularly updated. You can register for courses by emailing us from this site.

Interpreting Wellington is committed to maintaining high standards nationally and internationally. Our interpreters are assisted financially and offered preparatory courses to seek external accreditation from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). We actively reward and recognise NAATI-qualified interpreters. These policies also apply to NZ Sign Language interpreters with comparable qualifications. We encourage interpreters to join the New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters (NZSTI).