With a growing Latino and increasingly diversified population in the United States, there is a demand for interpreters and translators in 2014, among other occupations that make up the Top 12 high-wage, in-demand, skilled positions this year.
While high-paying jobs that offer financial and career security are enticing, there is another perk that comes along with being an interpreter and a translator — personal gratification for helping students and families in need of support and clarification. (The Latin Post takes a closer look at this trend further into the story.)
CareerBuilder teamed up with Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI) to identify the occupations that grew by at least seven percent from 2010 to 2013, are projected to grow in 2014, and pay at least $22 per hour. EMSI data is collected from more than 90 federal and state sources, such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau and state labor departments.
“In addition to higher pay levels and solid growth rates, what many of these jobs have in common is a talent shortage,” Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder and co-author of the book “The Talent Equation,” tells Business Insider. “Recruitment of skilled labor in specialized areas like information technology and health care has become highly competitive.”
Not only do these jobs offer financial and career security, but they also contribute to the economic growth of other occupations. It also notes that job seekers need to be ready to prove their skills in order to land one of these roles.
“More high-wage jobs will be created in 2014 which will, in turn, fuel the creation of jobs at lower pay levels,” added Ferguson. “The challenge is many of these in-demand, skilled positions are in areas where companies are already experiencing a shortage of qualified labor. As a nation, we need to focus on reskilling workers of all ages and providing them with affordable education to catch up to labor demands in technology, health care and other key sectors.”
According to the report, data for interpreters and translators is as follows:
Total employment in 2013: 69,887
Added 8,377 jobs from 2010-2013, up 14 percent
Median hourly earnings: $22.39
One of the benefits of being an interpreter or translator is the “personal satisfaction and gratification you get when you are able to meet the needs of the students and their families,” says Fabio Castellanos, an interpreter and translator who also happens to be this reporter’s father.
“You can see the appreciation in their eyes during a translation; you can see how grateful they are because they know exactly what is going on and understand how the system works,” he explained.
Another benefit from having interpretation and translation services is that students’ records can be obtained, including Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) as well as medical records, which provides teachers and parents a better idea of their students’ progress and needs.
LA Translation and Interpretation provides 30-hour, 60-hour, 10 weeks, one year and two year program in translation and interpreting. For more info on how to become a medical and court certified interpreter, please visit https://www.latranslation.com/the-school.