Honouring Post-graduate Certificate Simultaneous Translation Graduates on the Eisteddfod Maes.
08.08.2022
Three newly graduated students with a post-graduate Simultaneous Translation qualification from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David were honoured last week in a special award ceremony held on the Maes of the National Eisteddfod at Tregaron.
This programme is unique in the sense that it is the only qualification of its kind in Wales and receives the support of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru (The Association of Welsh Translators and Interpreters), which this year awarded three students, Sioned Pugh from Trinity Saint David and Ffion Parrington and Amy Mason from Rhondda Cynon Taf.
For Sioned, “Winning the award was a wonderful surprise and completely unexpected! I greatly enjoyed the experience of learning, researching and undertaking academic writing again. The lecturers who guided us were brilliant, very easy to work with, and their feedback particularly valuable owing to their extensive experience at a professional level!”
Amy Mason said, “It’s wonderful that the University recognizes this skill and offers training. There is a demand for simultaneous translators and now I put to use in my job the skills that I learned as part of the course. The skills and experience that the course leaders possess are particularly valuable, and they were always ready to offer us help and support – especially during the challenging time of the pandemic.”
Ffion Parrington adds, “This is an extremely entertaining course and a wonderful opportunity to learn more. Hearing that I had won the award was a marvellous boost to my confidence and I am very grateful to the Association and to the University for being so generous. I also had an opportunity to get to know a number of other translators from every corner of Wales.”
The aim of the course is to ensure that a high standard of provision exists within the higher education sector that offers recognised and appropriate training for individuals who wish to enter the field.
Geraint Wyn Parry, Chief Executive of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru, said:
“We would like to congratulate the three warmly on winning the Association’s award for the most promising students. We were glad to hear that studying for the Certificate had been an excellent experience for the three of them and that they are full of praise for the course.”
It is a vocational course in direct response to the Welsh Government’s strategy: Cymraeg 2050, creating a ready supply of able and qualified translators and simultaneous translators. The course also ensures that there is a competent workforce that is able to respond to the statutory requirements of Safonau’r Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Language Standards) whilst supporting practically the principle of ensuring that the Welsh language is not treated less favourably than the English language.
Students study part-time for the qualification, usually whilst working. The goal of the programme is to prepare students, enabling them to enter the world of work, and to undertake simultaneous translation in a wide range of contexts, whilst also being able to cope with the recent developments in the field of technology, so as to offer a high standard of face to face, distance and ‘hybrid’ simultaneous translation.
During the course, students receive guidance from experienced simultaneous translators that work professionally in the field. The students are also offered an opportunity to visit the Senedd in Cardiff and to meet the team of translators that work there, as well as following work experience in the field.
Lynwen Davies, one of the course lecturers, said;
'Over the years we have been busy developing resources to support the learning and teaching on this Certificate; from the Simultaneous Translation Platform launched at the Llanrwst Eisteddfod in 2019 to the E-books that will be launched in this year’s Eisteddfod at Tregaron. Simultaneous translation is a professional service, and it is necessary that training in the field reflects this, and consequently, the collaboration that exists between the University and Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru is one of which we are very proud. I would like to congratulate those students who have been successful in winning the Association’s awards this year.’
https://cyfieithuarypryd.cymru/
https://adnoddau.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/E-lyfrau+Cyfieithu/E-lyfr+Cyfieithu+Ar+Y+Pryd.pdf
The intention in future is to offer students a scholarship, the successful candidates being decided by the Association.
If you would like to receive more information about the Simultaneous Translation course, e-mail rhagoriaith@pcydds.ac.uk
Further Information
Lowri Thomas, Principal Communications and PR Officer
07449 998476
