Translator Training: A Critique of the Canadian Translation Bureau’s Recruitment Criteria
A recent decision made by the Translation Bureau states that it will no longer recruit graduates with an MA in translation unless they have a BA in translation as well. The following paper examines the Bureau’s decision and considers some of the implications. A brief analysis of the correspondence between the Bureau, the Canadian Schools of Translation Association (ACET) and professional associations provides insight as to the reasons behind the decision. Hard evidence demonstrates that students with an MA in Translation and a BA in another field translate as well if not better than those with a BA in Translation. Given that the Bureau is Canada’s main employer in the translation sector, the decision has profound repercussions. Perhaps the most obvious consequence is that Canadian students, increasingly unwilling to compromise potential employment opportunities, are deciding against graduate studies in translation. This also halts Canadian enrollment at the Ph.D. level. In a world where interlinguistic and intercultural communication is becoming increasingly complex, does the Bureau’s decision not hinder the field’s expansion and progress, while maintaining translators as “subordinates”?