Italo Calvino said of the translation of his novels: “Without translation, I would be limited to the borders of my own country. The translator is my most important ally.
This quote perfectly captures the reality of professional translation: translating is not just about producing an accurate text, but about enabling a message to be understood, used, and shared beyond its borders. This is precisely what I discovered during my internship at Untranslate.
From a solid academic foundation… to the realities of the field
At university, the translation training is demanding. We learn how to analyse a text, justify our choices, and work with precise instructions, deadlines, and professional tools. As a Master’s student in Specialised Multilingual Translation (TSM) at the University of Lille, I had already acquired a solid methodological and linguistic base before joining the company.
But during my internship at Untranslate, I quickly realised that the main difference lies not in the skills themselves, but in their purpose. At university, you translate to learn. In companies, we translate so that the text can actually be used.
An internship at the heart of all aspects of translation
At Untranslate, I had the opportunity to discover translation in all its diversity. My internship wasn’t limited to translating texts, but allowed me to participate in the whole production process:
- translating a variety of content,
- revision and proofreading of translations,
- quality controls (QA checks),
- terminology research,
- management and updating translation memories (TMs),
- desktop publishing tasks (DTP),
- participation in the management of translation projects.
This diversity has enabled me to understand that professional translation is also part of a collective framework. Translators, revisers, and project managers work together to guarantee terminological consistency, linguistic quality, and compliance with customer expectations.
When translation becomes a responsibility
Another major difference is the responsibility associated with translation work. In business, a text is intended to be published, distributed, or used by a client. Every choice of language has a real impact on the image, credibility, and communication of the company concerned.
At Untranslate, this responsibility is reflected in our demanding quality processes. Translations are systematically proofread by native linguists and subjected to rigorous checks in accordance with ISO standards. Quality is not an afterthought, but an integral part of every stage of the project.
The internship as a turning point
My internship at Untranslate did not break with my university education, but rather, it built on it, accompanied by a shift in mindset. The skills I acquired at university proved indispensable, while taking on a new dimension in a professional context.
Studies confirm the central role played by internship placements. They show that work experience contributes directly to building students’ confidence and their ability to project themselves in a professional environment. For example, a study conducted by Bruxelles Formation shows that over 40% of interns are offered a professional opportunity in the company where they completed their internship, and that almost 90% would recommend their internship experience.
Even when the internship does not lead directly to a job, it plays a structuring role: it helps to bridge the gap between one’s perception of the profession and its day-to-day reality. This internship has given me a better understanding of how a translation agency works, the expectations of the market, and the day-to-day realities of the job. Above all, it helped me to move from a learning approach to a production approach.
Looking for an internship that makes a difference?
I’m speaking to you, the translation students who are wondering what an internship at a translation agency really means. At Untranslate, an internship is not about passively observing or carrying out isolated tasks. The interns are fully integrated into the projects, supported throughout, and involved in a variety of formative assignments. So, if you want to discover the richness of professional translation and develop practical skills, applying for an internship at Untranslate is a real learning opportunity!
