Choose your course
Auslan, the sign language of the Australian Deaf community, can uncover a wealth of career opportunities. Your Auslan education and training will always be current and may include work-placements and practical experience.
TAFE NSW language labs and workshops are a key to your future career in interpreting and translating. Careers have unique rewards, challenges, and opportunities. TAFE NSW teachers are qualified Interpreters with industry experience and connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Auslan courses offer you an opportunity to connect with the Deaf community and make a difference by understanding and opening lines of communication.
Professional Auslan interpreters allow Auslan users to remain independent1 and by studying an Auslan course you will work towards creating an inclusive environment for people who may not otherwise be heard.
At TAFE NSW, we offer you two nationally recognised Auslan courses, the Certificate II in Auslan and the Certificate III in Auslan.
If you are interested in becoming an interpreter, we have 7 different Diploma of Interpreting courses on offer. These diploma courses are designed for professional communicators, who are seeking interpreter jobs and want to help people be heard and understood in different settings. These interpreting courses include Mandarin-English, Korean-English, Arabic-English, LOTE-English, Vietnamese-English, Spanish-English and Cantonese-English.
Depending on the level of Auslan course you choose you will learn to:
- Communicate in casual and formal conversations, from social events to employment, education and medical scenarios
- Sign with a degree of fluency and spontaneity
- Build relationships with the Deaf community
- Communicate independently within the Deaf community
There is a difference between translator and interpreter. Essentially, translators translate writing and text. The role of a language interpreter is to translate spoken language in real time.
Unfortunately, we don’t offer courses in translation at TAFE NSW but we do offer the Diploma of Interpreting. This diploma prepares you for interpreter jobs in health, welfare and community services, education and social settings and tourism. You’ll also be ready to use your skills in community information services, informal business and workplace interactions and in non-complex disability assistance.
To become an interpreter in Australia, you must be fluent in English and another language (this could include Auslan).
To become a certified provisional interpreter, complete the Diploma of Interpreting. To become a certified interpreter, you will need to complete an Advanced Diploma of Interpreting.
At its core translation, interpreting and Auslan are about communication and these skilled communicators are always in high demand.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics2 there are over 300 separately identified languages spoken in Australian homes, with more than 21% of Australians speaking a language other than English at home. The most common languages spoken at home were Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese and Vietnamese, and TAFE NSW offers all of these in languages as options in our Diploma of Interpreting course.
2 ABS Census Reveals a Fast Changing, Culturally Diverse Nation
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What job opportunities could a translation, interpreting and language course lead to?
Within our globalised and connected world, studying a course in linguistics can open up many exciting job opportunities and career paths across multiple sectors and countries.
If you have a passion for languages and communications, TAFE NSW Translation, Interpreting and Languages courses offer students the ability to use and develop their existing skills across a variety of professional settings. From learning to work in community and business domains, to the general health sector, tourism and educational sectors, our courses are designed for people who want to help others be heard.
To specialise in translation and interpretation, you must be fluent in at least two languages and be able to clearly convey concepts, tone, and cultural knowledge accurately. To become a translator or an interpreter in Australia, you will need to complete a relevant certificate or course in interpretation and translation such as the Diploma of Interpreting in selected languages.
A career in interpretation and translation can lead to varied opportunities working across many types of documents and industries, from scientific, technical, legal, commercial and financial sectors.
Completion of a certificate in interpretation and translation at TAFE NSW will prepare you with practical, hands-on experience to become professionals across many fields, such as sign language, community settings, education, medical interpreters, governmental or legal/judicial interpreters. TAFE NSW courses in this area offer:
- Diploma of Interpreting
- Certificate II in Auslan
- Certificate III in Auslan
- Certificate IV in Auslan
Enquire today for more information on how studying a TAFE NSW Translation, Interpreting and Languages course can support you and your future career.