No matter how good a person is at their job, there’s only so much time in the day to learn new work concepts, engage with stakeholders, and advance a career track. Everyone is stronger with a few friends in their corner. And for language and localization workers, a professional association or membership organization is just that — a friend in their corner.

The range of professional language organizations is as varied and dynamic as the profession itself. So too are the purposes they serve. Some provide training and certifications that give professionals the clout they need to win over and build trust with clients. Others build a collegial environment where language workers can learn and grow through conferences and special events. Still others advocate for their profession before government bodies, helping craft policies and procedures that serve both workers and the public. And in the modern world of rapid technological evolution, associations are invaluable for keeping up with the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine translation (MT).

Even more impressive is the huge span of history professional associations under the industry umbrella. The earliest organizations are many decades old and have served their members through some of history’s most tumultuous periods. Others are more recent, adapting with the times to address new needs as they arise.

Last but certainly not least, professional organizations are often the forum where professionals form lasting relationships. Because, yes, it’s great to have an ally at your side, but it’s even better to have a friend.

The ATC focuses on serving UK language service providers (LSP). How does LSP work in the UK differ from other regions of the world?

As the second-largest language services market in the world, the UK LSP landscape is diverse. Many of the world’s largest language service companies are headquartered in the UK, but we also have a large number of SME owner-managed companies, so the makeup of UK LSPs reflects the global market shape. Where the UK differs is the size of the public-sector market and the sheer volume of public service translation and interpreting into more than 300 community languages. What also characterizes the UK market on the commercial side is the prevalence of English as the primary language. Perhaps more than most regions, there is a clear need for us as a trade association, alongside our member companies, to connect with business organizations and UK-based companies and to communicate the ROI on language services for exporting and internationalization.

Also specific to the UK, Brexit stands to impact UK LSPs in unique ways. Could you briefly describe how you’ve helped members navigate that development?

In the run-up to Brexit, the UK government’s Brexit support was focused on goods and lacking in tangible guidance on services, especially cross-border service provision. We raised funding to organize a series of free Brexit guidance webinars and continued on to publish a detailed Post-Brexit Guide for Language Service Providers, in collaboration with the Institute for Translation and Interpreting. With its detailed guidance on VAT rules, business travel, and other business continuity topics, interpreted through the language services lens, it has been an invaluable resource for both LSPs and translators in the UK and their clients and suppliers in the EU.

What are the most important trends you see impacting your members? How can they prepare themselves?

Trends around the changing language services and technology landscape are without doubt at the forefront of our members’ minds: the rise of new AI and technology-enabled services, staying relevant in providing high-quality language services fit for purpose, finding the right tech and solutions both for business and services. But also: selling in a changing market, mergers and acquisitions, and changes related to legislation such as GDPR and data protection. Connecting with peers and having a national organization as a space to exchange thoughts on challenges and opportunities are great ways to prepare and stay on top of trends, as is following industry media and market research.

What’s ahead for the ATC? Where do you see the organization in 10 years?

The ATC’s focus is to support members with growth and development, to promote the added value of language services, and to forge meaningful relationships with partner organizations and associations outside of our own industry. In 10 years’ time, the ATC’s membership will represent the majority of the UK’s extensive LSP market and lead from the front on policy and best practice as a recognized industry authority.

What would you say are the most important services provided by the ITI?

ITI is the only UK-based independent professional membership association for practicing translators, interpreters, and language service providers. We support our members by sharing knowledge, harnessing voices, and creating community. ITI acts as an interface between the profession and government, industry and commerce, the media, and the general public.

ITI offers support through its #ITICommunity of likeminded professionals, and through its comprehensive offering of training events. The ITI Conference is a highlight of the ITI calendar, providing unrivaled opportunities for professional development and networking.

You offer a variety of professional training opportunities for translators and interpreters. What are the most important skills for such professionals to be developing?

We are fully committed to supporting our members in continuing professional development, giving them the opportunity to maintain the highest possible standards within the profession. While continually developing their language skills is a given for our members, other key areas for CPD include keeping up to date with their specializations, enhancing writing skills, familiarizing themselves with the latest technology, and increasing their business proficiency. ITI’s aim is to provide members with the opportunity to learn the latest skills to perform better and keep up to date with new trends in the sector, so that they can respond quickly to any changes that impact the future of their careers.

When you think about the biggest opportunities for translators and interpreters right now, what would you say they are?

Language services are continually evolving, and translators and interpreters that are adept at evolving and remaining relevant will continue to thrive. Machine translation (MT) is no substitute for highly trained practitioners who are specialists in their particular field and developing subject specialism continues to provide opportunities. Other areas of growth are audio visual translation, interlingual respeaking, and subtitling, although pay and conditions in the latter have been a cause for concern. Interpreters are seeing opportunities from remote simultaneous interpreting that grew rapidly as a result of COVID.

What’s ahead for the ITI? Where do you see the organization in 10 years?

ITI aims to grow our membership both within the UK and overseas. We strive to work towards a world where ITI members are always at the core of effective and accurate professional communications across languages, supporting and improving society, culture, and commerce. In ever-changing times, ITI’s aim is to provide a professional membership service, accessible across different time zones and platforms, representing an engaging community of translators and interpreters that showcases good practice. ITI will collaborate with stakeholders to ensure we remain relevant, particularly with the younger, technology-savvy translators who are keen to adopt innovative solutions to succeed.

It’s easy to think of machine translation (MT) as a more modern development, but the AMTA has been working in this field for three decades. What did MT look like then, and how has it evolved since?

When AMTA was first organized, rule-based MT (RBMT) was very much the standard architecture, example-based MT (EBMT) was under development and being used in limited contexts, and statistical MT (SMT) was only germinating in research labs. Neural MT (NMT) was nothing but a dream.

The quality of the RBMT systems was generally only good enough for limited domains, with smaller vocabularies and simpler sentence structures. CAT tools were just starting to be used by translators, and MT post-editing was a nascent methodology.

With ever-increasing data and computing power, early research work on NMT showed it to be as good or in many cases better than SMT, with a promise of even greater improvement. In 2016, Systran, Google, and Microsoft converted their internet offerings to NMT. Many companies around the world joined the fray, including ModernMT, DeepL, KantanMT, Yandex, and others, and within a year or two, NMT became the de facto standard MT architecture.

Since the advent of customized NMT, MT post-editing has become a standard practice among translation professionals, although debates continue about the most effective way for human translators to interact with MT.

AMTA has also evolved and grown. Initially, it catered to a smaller number of academics and industry researchers. The research and development of MT in AMTA’s publications and conference presentations has evolved in step with the progression of MT architectures.

Today, we are uniquely positioned to help bridge the gap between MT researchers and users of all kinds, fostering ongoing conversations and understanding that will certainly aid in breaking down language barriers across the world.

MT’s role in the future of language work is hotly debated. What is the AMTA’s view on what the future could hold?

While NMT is now a standard tool for many translators, the broader impact of this technology can be observed through the many hundreds of billions of words translated every day without human intervention on the internet by companies such as Facebook, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and many others worldwide.

These facts caused some to predict the demise of the human translation profession, and this has caused some translators to worry about their jobs. The reality is that the potential volume of translation between the world’s languages is likely exponentially greater than most of us realize, and in this ever-increasing volume, there will continue to be a corresponding increase in the need for human translators. But these translators will also need to keep themselves up to date on the latest technology and tools available. Who knows, though? If neural AI algorithms ever become so good that they can translate and do other tasks as well as humans in any context, I don’t think that translators will be the only ones out of work!

GALA was founded right as the internet began to truly supercharge globalization. What were some of the most important factors that led to its formation?

At the time, there was no organization supporting the needs of the service side of the industry. LISA was there for the client-side organizations, but LSPs had no association home, no centralized resources, no platform for networking and visibility. It was the need for a global professional community of service and technology providers that led to the formation of GALA, with 13 founding member-companies. Ironically, LISA folded and GALA now serves the interests of end-clients as well.

How has globalization changed in the 20 years since GALA was formed?

Simply put, it’s gone mainstream. Globalization used to be the domain of enterprise-level multinational companies, but with changes in technology, internet access, and the rise of ecommerce and cloud applications, global markets are accessible to companies of all sizes. It’s not only technology, but also economic, social, and geopolitical factors that have contributed to an opening of markets and cultures. We’re far more connected — in many different ways — than we were 20 years ago, and that means globalization is inevitable and essential.

What are the most important services GALA offers to help localization professionals stay ahead of an ever-changing environment?

We track the topics and challenges that are driving change in the industry, and then we leverage our expert community to share their research, knowledge, and experiences with each other. Our best-loved programs are our annual conference, our webinar series, and our special interest groups which offer a hybrid experience of networking, learning, and producing something useful for the industry. Our aim is to prepare our members for the future and give them the tools and network to help them get there.

What’s ahead for GALA? Where do you see the organization in 10 years?

That will depend on what the industry looks like in 10 years. Our mission is to support our members and this industry, so we’ll adapt to whatever comes next. Currently, we’re grappling with a few key impacts: the broken business model of LSPs that devalues their contributions and commoditizes their services, the mismatch between the demands of the industry and the training that new professionals receive in schools, the expanding use of automation, including machine translation, and the persistent lack of understanding of the business value of this industry. No matter what comes, we’ll be here to help our members anticipate and prepare for change in a way that allows them to be successful on their terms.

Given the wide range of industry verticals language companies serve, how do you balance the various interests of your members?

The ALC is comprised of member companies rather than individuals, and we find that the goals of our members are similar no matter the industry verticals they serve. ALC members prioritize the quality of their services and support efforts in standardization and certification. A desire to grow their companies while ensuring sustainable long-term operations is often a focus of our members. ALC members look to improve the overall industry and support expanding language access in all settings, including healthcare, education, and legal.

These shared goals form the organization’s priorities, which we carry out by providing programs and services to our members. The ALC membership includes companies that offer training, translation, interpretation, voiceovers, conference interpreting, and language schools. The wide variety of fields within the language industry does not dilute our efforts but strengthens our voice as we look to the future.

With the need for interpreters and translators expected to grow 19% by 2028 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, what are some things companies can do to prepare themselves for the increased demand?

Nineteen percent is a lot!

LSPs need to look at the following as they build their capacity to meet the future demand.

Funding. LSPs need to understand their opportunities for funding the increasing needs of the business.

Education/training. Determine what education and knowledge your future employees need to have.

Hire. Invest in building an in-house staff of project managers, and reevaluate your marketing and HR needs.

Technology. Determine if your technology and systems are sustainable. Can they carry the load and grow with you?

Automation. Make sure the computers do more than the people so the people can tend to the relationships.

The above list does not begin to cover it all. A few more quick thoughts on this topic included GDPR, cyber security, HIPPA, and keeping up to date on codes as crucial things to keep in mind. Companies need to think about the future and ask themselves what is needed and how they can be on the leading edge.

What are some of the most important services you offer to your members?

Relationships and advocacy are two critical benefits of membership in the ALC.

The ALC is unique as an industry association in that a group of “competitors” work closely together to help each other grow their businesses and improve the industry in which we all work.

One area where the ALC membership works together is advocacy. ALC’s advocacy efforts raise the profile of the language industry in Washington, D.C. The ALC maintains relationships with Congressional offices, allowing ALC members to talk about worker classification issues and other obstacles that hold us back from meeting an ever-growing need for communication.

The rising need for language access prompted the formation of a new ALC subcommittee to advocate for the necessity and vital need in education, healthcare, and legal processes.

Of course, there are numerous other benefits to being an ALC member. Please feel free to reach out and find out more!

Organization membership size

73. The membership is primarily Canadian LSP corporations.

Founding year:

2003

Mission statement:

The Canadian Language Industry Association (CLIA, formerly AILIA) is a not-for-profit trade association whose mission is to promote and increase the competitiveness of the Canadian language industry nationally and globally through advocacy, accreditation, and information sharing.

• In addition, our objectives include:
• Promote the interests of the language industry
• Be a forum for industry stakeholders coast to coast
• Raise the visibility of the industry
• Put together initiatives to face industry challenges
• Develop human resources strategies
• Promote innovation and research and development
• Facilitate networking between the industry and other public and private sector partners
• Become the essential industry representative for the public sector
• Stimulate the efforts of industry stakeholders both on the national and international levels
• Support the emergence of alliances and projects to expand the industry

Canada is widely known to be one of the most functionally bilingual countries in the world. What does that mean to CLIA members and their language specializations?

Canadian federal and provincial government language laws and policies have tremendous positive impacts on fostering and enabling a private/public language industry that works synergistically to provide Canadians with content in their language choice. It allows entrepreneurs to start new language-based businesses, from LSPs to language technology companies. The Canadian public sector remains the largest buyer of language services; however the enterprise sector is slowly catching up.

You were formerly known as AILIA. What’s behind the name change, and how have you navigated the change?

The CLIA Board Members decided we needed a more precise, easily identified name of who we are and who we represent as an association. We accomplished this by adding the word Canadian and adding a maple leaf to our logo. CLIA stands for Canadian Language Industry Association, and in French, it’s Association canadienne de l’industrie de la langue (ACIL).

The Canadian government has recently pushed for better language access for its indigenous peoples. How has that affected your certification standards?

Indeed, there is more demand for indigenous language translation and interpretation, which has created more opportunities, but there are also many challenges.

CLIA has provided informative presentations and panel discussions with indigenous elders and language experts at our annual conference for the past two years. Our members and other attendees from academia and the public/private sectors learned about the opportunities and the challenges like the lack of qualified resources with indigenous linguistic degrees, cultural differences, standardization, and language technologies problems supporting indigenous languages.

In Canada, there are over 70 indigenous-spoken languages, with the industry focusing on the top-10 languages. Only with all the stakeholders working together will we be able to meet the increased demand for indigenous language access.

What’s ahead for CLIA? Where do you see the organization in 10 years?

CLIA foresees the next 10 years as being bright with exciting opportunities for the Canadian Language Industry nationally and globally. We will continue consolidating our position as the voice of the Canadian language market as we strive to unite stakeholders, our partners, and colleagues across Canada.

Simultaneously, we will continue to promote the Canadian language industry on the global stage as we encourage Canadian LSPs to seek global opportunities and expansion.

Elia has 220 member businesses within its service region. Who are the most common types of professionals you serve?

We aim to serve localization professionals at all levels of our member companies. This is a broad remit and includes: CEOs, finance, sales, marketing, operations, project managers, vendor managers, IT, and translators.

We achieve this through our targeted events: Focus on Executives, Networking Days, Focus on Project Management, and Together. Each event has its own personality and has been developed to meet the unique requirements of each group.

Elia’s webinars are among the services offered to help keep professionals at the top of their game. What are some of the standout topics from the past few years?

Elia has produced 40 webinars over the past two years as part of the Focus Forward webinar series. Elia members can watch these live or enjoy them time and again on-demand.

The topics were designed to help our members grow their businesses and have been handpicked to offer a complete solution.

Focus Forward has not only brought knowledge and honest discussion about important topics to members but provides them with opportunities to share their expertise and experiences.

As you consider the future of language work in Europe, what are some of the biggest opportunities you see?

A quick search for “trends in the language industry 2022” reveals something we all know: the rapid improvement in technology and improving access to and our increasing dependence on electronic media worldwide are driving tremendous change. Improvements in AI, NMT, speech to text, machine-generated content, subtitling, and remote interpreting are allowing people greater access to more of everything in their language. Our industry is a key driver here.

The impact has been and will be significant as we adopt technological improvements and shifting market demands. This will all necessitate evolution at all company levels.

It is exciting to be part of this change. The future opportunities for those involved in language range from clients to LSPs and individually are many and varied.

What’s ahead for Elia? Where do you see the organization in 10 years?

Ten years is a long time to plan for, our board and staff are laser focused on delivering the three-year plan. We will maintain our focus on our members and the tools and opportunities they need to reach their goals. We get together to grow together.

Although most of our offerings are for language companies, we’ve learned that translators and other language professionals are seeking the type of information and connections Elia can provide. Our goal is to be inclusive.

One trend we’ve encouraged is the collaboration between other language associations. Partnering for specific projects, sharing resources, and developing knowledge will improve the international language industry. Recent examples of projects include: the ELIS (European Language Industry Survey), the PM Training and Certification program, and Elia Exchange.

We are very excited by the future of our association, our wonderful industry, and our members.

What makes language work in Argentina different from the rest of the world?

• Several and very prestigious translations schools across the country.
• Unique tech infrastructure in the region.
• Long-lasting tradition in translation, proven experience in developing and training project management professionals, and most recently, qualified talent for other positions in the localization industry (vendor management, business development, etc.).
• Go-to place for customers looking for excellence and cost-effectiveness in professional localization and translation services.
• Pioneer within Latin America in promoting and developing knowledge-based services (KBS).

Are there any unique needs Argentinian language workers face that you’re working to address? What are the biggest opportunities in the country?

This question should be divided into two parts:
For translators, the pandemic allowed them to explore work opportunities beyond the limits of their cities, work with foreign companies, and have the flexibility to work literally from anywhere in the world.

For translation companies, the pressing challenge is talent development and retention in a context of more companies recruiting remote workers in Argentina.

Do you think Argentina is seen as the go-to place for competitive professional services, project management, and other key positions, and not just for quality translation and interpretation services?

The challenge this context brings is the heightened need for training — not only the development of newcomers but also the continued education of experienced workers.

As more workers move to remote and freelance positions, the training that they were receiving in-house or provided by the local companies they were freelancing for is no longer available to them, and each individual needs to be the motor driving their professional development.

TinA is doubling its effort in that area to close that gap and help maintain our place of excellence.

What are the most important services you offer your members?

TinA promotes and supports activities related to the use of new technologies, professional information and training, the organization of conferences and seminars, participation in international events, and the promotion of language activities as a source of economic growth and the creation of direct and indirect jobs. We have a website with an intranet where members can post their job openings, search for talent from the resumes we receive through our website, and submit articles to be posted on the blog section of our website. Also, TinA offers our members a network of alliances with the most renowned associations in our industry and various benefits from several local and international companies.