Where Can You Use a Spanish Interpreter Certification?

Being bilingual in today’s world is a great skill. As geographical and technological boundaries continue to diminish, the likelihood of groups of people who speak different languages is increasing. As the country with the second most Spanish speakers in the world, the United States certainly has opportunities for bilingual Spanish speakers – one of the main ones being Spanish interpreting.

But investing your time (and money) into interpreter training programs is a large commitment, and naturally it is helpful to be reassured that there are jobs for people who hold a Spanish interpreter certification. The main question then becomes, where are those jobs located?

Spanish Medical Interpreters

As access to healthcare increases and more Spanish speakers require medical assistance from predominantly English speaking hospital staffs, holders of a Spanish interpreter certification can look to the medical field for good job prospects. Non-professional interpreters in the medical environment, especially untrained, bilingual family members, increase the risk for mis-prognosis, misdiagnosis and potentially life threatening situations. Having a professional Spanish medical interpreter will help prevent against these possibilities.

Already have a medical Spanish interpreter certification, and looking to become a Spanish medical interpreter? Contact local hospitals and smaller medical centers nearby and see what their need for Spanish interpreters is. You can also connect with past medical interpreter training instructors to see if they can provide you with any leads.

Spanish Legal Interpreters

Spanish speakers facing legal disputes in the United States, and who are also of limited English language proficiency, rely on the work of Spanish legal interpreters to help them traverse the court system. The United States court has three classifications of interpreters: Certified Interpreters, Professionally Qualified Interpreters and Language Skilled Interpreters. A certified interpreter specifically holds an interpreter certification, and as of right now Spanish is one of the only certification exams that the U.S. Courts’ administrative office offers. The Spanish-English Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination is made up of two phases – a written and an oral test. Upon completion, one receives a legal Spanish interpreter certification which can aid them with future employment with the U.S. courts.

Spanish Community Interpreters: Governmental, Tourism & Travel and Business

Community interpreters generally encompass a broad area of industries. This can range from interpreting for immigration needs and interpreting for the Department of Children and Families, to interpreting for business related fields including Insurance and the Tourism/Travel industry. While interpreting for tourism and travel may be self-explanatory, alongside the need to interpret for governmental agencies aiding families who are limited in English, business related fields may not be a Spanish interpreter’s first thought when considering where to utilize their Spanish interpreter certification. However, as consumers, people are likely to go with what they know – and if their native language is Spanish, they may be more inclined to purchase services and products using their native language. Studies, done by Experian Marketing Services a few years back, show that around 56% of Spanish speakers prefer hearing advertisements that are in Spanish. It is likely this will translate over into face to face interaction with consumers, and potential investors, as well. Therefore, businesses should be on the lookout for interpreters to assist them with foreign language customers both in the United States, and in their expansion efforts abroad.

Obtaining a Spanish Interpreter Certification

Finding a job with a Spanish interpreter certification is a task itself, but how does one get a certification in the first place? There are various options, and various types of certificates, depending on the field you are considering. Medical interpreter training programs exist which can aid you in getting a certification of training completion. These can be used to get jobs at some medical centers; however, in the event that passing of the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters Exam is required; an interpreter training program will provide you with the necessary training to obtain your medical Spanish interpreter certification. As mentioned before, the United States court also offers a Spanish interpreter certification exam for legal interpreters. Community interpreters will require training like medical and legal interpreters, and they can also receive a certification of training completion from an interpreter training program. This certificate will show potential employers that the interpreter has undergone training in order to successfully work in the field of interpretation.

Get the necessary, in person training in order to pass interpreter qualification exams with our Medical Interpreter Training, Business and Community Interpreter Training, and Legal Interpreter Training Programs.

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