College of Humanities
Tara Russell
BA
Getting a chance to try out various types of jobs is one way to figure out what you want in a career. That is exactly how Tara Russell spent her time at UL before she pursued a career in translation. The Applied Languages Degree offered her a range of different options that she could investigate in order to find the career she wanted.
While at secondary school Tara had always shown an interest in languages, but was more intent on pursuing a course that was not restricted to literature. She felt that while Applied Languages degrees included courses on literature they were balanced by offering courses in translation as well as interpreting. Tara chose the Applied Languages programme at UL because it provided a range of different options, all of which seemed interesting to her and allowed her to explore new avenues. She was attracted by the opportunity to study and learn three languages to degree level and the programme also provided the opportunity to study the complexities of Technical Writing, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and Marketing.
Tara's first introduction to German business came while still a student. During the first of her Cooperative Education placements she worked with Dornier Systems in Friedrichshafen. Her second placement was with Alsthom in Belfort, France. In both locations she got a chance to explore the world of translation . This gave her an opportunity to 'try out' and develop her skills in a real-life situation, and ultimately discover that she wanted to work in translation and interpreting.
Tara is now working with Berlitz GlobalNET in Sindelfingen in Germany, where she is employed as a translator. She enjoys many aspects of her job, especially working in a very busy office environment with a multicultural workforce. The job also gives her the opportunity to enjoy life in Sindelfingen, a town located near Stuttgart, which offers good social and cultural activities, as well as an extensive network of forest walks and more demanding treks in the local hills. When she is not out trekking in the local hills, she is busy making plans for her future, which include exploring a career in freelance translation. At the moment, however, she feels that more experience working for a company is necessary if she is to establish herself in a freelance capacity. She sees her present employment and the professional standards associated with it as an ideal way to gain this experience.
"CoOp made me more aware of possible employers and opportunities relating to a career in translation, and the experience I gained during CoOp was a big advantage when applying for jobs".