Regulated Trainee Occupational Standards

RTS1 Assess your Competency to undertake an assignment

• 1.1 Identify

• • 1.1.1 the subject matter, purpose and scope of the interpreting or translation assignment, seeking clarification where relevant.
  • 1.1.2 the degree of complexity and sensitivity of the assignment including level of language, potential conflicts of interest
  • 1.1.3 the mode of interpreting to be used (consecutive or simultaneous/whispered), as appropriate
  • 1.1.4 the language and/or interpreting skills required for the interpreting assignment including any specialist or domain specific knowledge requirements.
  • 1.1.5 Any health and safety considerations and any adjustments you may need to request or make to ensure you can provide the assignment to the best of your competence and ability

• 1.2 Assess

• • 1.2.1 Your availability to fulfil the interpreting or translation assignment
  • 1.2.2 Your level of skills and competence to professionally deliver the assignment in line with ethical considerations, your current knowledge and experience and the NRCPD code of conduct
  • 1.2.3 Any requirement to seek further advice and guidance before you take on the assignment
  • 1.2.4 Whether you have sufficient time to prepare for the assignment

• 1.3 Agree Terms

• • 1.3.1 Review and agree the terms and conditions of the assignment and clarify any queries and concerns with relevant parties

• 1.4 Accept or Decline the assignment

• • 1.4.1 Advise relevant parties, in a professional and timely manner, of your decision to accept or decline the assignment based on assessment of your skills, competence, availability and the terms and conditions of the assignment.

• 1.5 Professional Conduct

• • 1.5.11 Ensure your conduct is in line with ethical considerations, the NRCPD code of conduct and relevant legal requirements.

RTS2 Prepare to undertake an assignment

• 2.1 review the purpose, scope, subject matter and terms and conditions of engagement for the interpreting assignment
• 2.2 Request, obtain and review the assignment documentation and preparation materials, in advance, where available.
• 2.3 Identify and use relevant sources of information and reference materials and draw on existing knowledge to prepare for the assignment.
• 2.4 Seek advice and guidance from your Senior Practitioner or fellow experienced professional, if you are unsure of the subject matter of the interpreting assignment or content of the source language to be translated.
• 2.5 Plan appropriately to create the best conditions for effective interpreting or translation, including:
• • 2.5.1 Familiarising yourself fully with the client’s brief and/or details of the requested assignment
  • 2.5.2 Scheduling your work to meet the deadline or assignment date agreed with the client
  • 2.5.3 Any special requirements, including the need to use (and rehearse the use of) specific software/ technical platform.
  • 2.5.4 The language and interpreting or translation skills required for the assignment, including any specialist language or domain specific knowledge requirements
  • 2.5.5 Any health and safety considerations
  • 2.5.6 Likely requirements or expectations of relevant parties
  • 2.5.7 Cultural considerations
  • 2.5.8 Whether you would benefit from working with a colleague as part of a team
• 2.6 Ensure your conduct is in line with ethical considerations, the NRCPD code of conduct and relevant legal requirements.

RTS 3 Deliver Interpreting and/or Translation Assignments as a Regulated Trainee

• 3.1 You communicate to participants that you are a trainee interpreter, if they are not already aware
• 3.2 You interpret/translate the meaning expressed by participants/source text ensuring that omissions and miscues do not detract from the overall meaning of the source message
• 3.3 You have good strategies in place to repair omissions or miscues when they become apparent.
• 3.4 You interpretation reflects the flow of communication between the users
• 3.5 You interpretation or translation largely reflects the source message, formality and register of the original text.
• 3.6 You choose the appropriate mode of interpretation, making use of consecutive interpreting, to ensure clarity where necessary.
• 3.7 You paraphrase the meaning of complex terms and phrases, if you do not know the direct equivalent in the target language
• 3.8 Check back with the source language user/author if you are unable to not sure that you have interpreted or translated the meaning faithfully.
• 3.9 You withdraw from the assignment if it becomes clear that it is beyond your competence and you negotiate alternative arrangements
• 3.10 You support effective communication throughout the assignment and take action if communication breaks down
• 3.11 You interpret factual information and reflect opinions largely accurately
• 3.12 You handle the standard national variety of the languages in which you interpret
• 3.13 You take notes during consecutive interpreting, where required
• 3.14 Your conduct is consistent with the principles of professional practice and the registration body’s code of conduct
• 3.15 You seek advice from your Senior Practitioner on a regular basis

RTS4 Evaluate and develop your professional practice as Regulated Trainee interpreter or translator

• 4.1 You reflect on the effectiveness of your preparation for assignments
• 4.2 You reflect on the effectiveness of your interpreting performance:
• 4.3 Individually and with support of your Senior Practitioner, reflect on how well you caught the overall meaning
• • 4.3.1 whether you captured the main points
  • 4.3.2 how well you captured a sequence of events or actions
  • 4.3.4 how well you used discourse markers to structure the interpretation or translation
  • 4.3.5 how well your use of register matched that of the source language user
  • 4.3.4 reflect on the accuracy of the language that you used while interpreting or translating, e.g. vocabulary and syntax.
• 4.4 evaluate how well you managed the assignment in terms of:
• • 4.4.1 your conduct, style and interaction with users
  • 4.4.2 the approach you took to dealing with cultural conventions
  • 4.4.3 instances of communication breakdown and imperfect interpreting or translation, their causes, and whether you took the right action to repair them.
  • 4.4.4 your compliance with the principles of professional practice P5 use terminology accurately to describe language and interpreting features, while evaluating your performance
• 4.6 discuss your findings with your Senior Practitioner
• 4.7 Individually, and in discussion with your Senior Practitioner, identify ways in which you can improve:
• • 4.7.1 your preparation for assignments
  • 4.7.2 your interpreting or translation skills
  • 4.7.3 the evaluation of your work
• 4.8 Adapt your working practices to take account any newly-acquired knowledge and skills
• 4.9 Work with your Senior Practitioner to evaluate the impact of professional development on your interpreting or translation practice and undertake further development or changes, where necessary
• 4.10 Ensure your conduct is in line with ethical considerations, relevant codes of conduct and relevant legal requirements