• Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC , as many hospitals do, advertises current positions in translation and interpreting as they become open.

• Clinic Center, or Centro Clinico, a health clinic in Winston-Salem, NC, offering medical services to underprivileged families in the area, has also a great demand for Spanish interpreting. This free medical clinic gives aid to individuals who are completely uninsured and demonstrate 200% or more of federally defined need. The hours are Monday and Thursday nights from 5 - 9:30 pm. A wide range of situations in the clinic requires an interpreter's assistance: from the administrative tasks and interviewing, to the lab or triage, and the intense environment of actual medical care. For the latter, a strong knowledge of medical terminology is suggested. Contact Muriel Jones, Director of Volunteers for the Clinic at 723-7904 for further information.

Contact local hospitals or clinics to assess the need for interpreters or translators in your area!


Court / Police

Court interpreting is the perfect career for those people who are completely fluent in a language other than English (commonly Spanish) and who desire a job in the judicial system. This profession is a unique combination of skills, involving simultaneous and consecutive interpreting as well as sight translation. Besides possessing knowledge of legal terminology, a court interpreter needs a base of a variety of vocabulary from many domains as well as the ability to interpret many dialects at varying speeds. The established code of ethics for court interpreters includes honesty, exactitude, and professionalism, although these things could apply to every type of language career.

• Certification is required in order to interpret at the state or federal levels of the court system. Through the Administrative Office of United States Court, the National Center for State courts gives the exam that enables interpreters to work in the federal system. The Federal Certification is highly valued, but difficult to pass and not offered very frequently.

• Each state also has its own examination and certifying process. The examination involves an oral and written portion. For example, here is an explanation of North Carolina's procedure regarding the court system's foreign language services.

• These consecutive interpreting skills employed by court interpreters are
also needed in other realms of local government such as law
enforcement. Interpreters may volunteer on a case-by-case basis, or be
employed for full or part-time interpreting. Give your local Police
Department a call to find out the need in your community!


School System

• Foreign language skills and education are obviously needed in order to teach these courses, but school systems also have a need for language professionals beyond teaching. Because of the growing Hispanic community, there is an enormous need for interpreters in many local communities, for example in Forsyth County, NC. Interpreters would work in situations such as counseling and parent meetings, and this need is highest during student registration time. Most of the opportunities to interpret in schools is voluntary, but to find out more information, contact your local school system's ESL Director or Human Resource Manager.


Community Service

• Migration and Refugees Services, a division of National Conference of Catholic Bishops, serves the individuals and families coming to the United States who left behind their homeland ravaged by war and oppression, fleeing from persecution, and seeking the opportunity to build a new life, while living in peace, safety, and freedom.