One of the objectives of the Interpreter Certification Program is to increase the number of qualified interpreters available to the judicial system. Training is vital for interpreters in order to develop professional interpreting skills and to increase their knowledge of their working environment. By developing and polishing their interpreting skills, interpreters can also increase the probability of passing the certification examinations. Continuing education is also vital for interpreters even after they achieve certification in order to maintain and renew their certification while staying abreast of changes, professional issues, and new developments within the field.

Providing information about training opportunities is one way in which the program will further these goals. In this page, you will find notices about local and national training opportunities being offered through various professional organizations, language institutes and academic programs as they become available.

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Haitian-Creole Workshops

The Society for the Study of Translation and Interpretation (SSTI) a division of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT), is sponsoring a skills-building workshop for Haitian-Creole interpreters in Miami, FL on March 26-27, 2010 and a shortened six-hour skills tune-up version during the NAJIT conference in Orlando, FL on May 14. SSTI is offering scholarships to the first 20 registrants for the March 26-27 workshop. For complete information on the SSTI Haitian-Creole workshop click here.

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NAJIT Annual Conference Workshops

The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT), is holding its annual conference on May 14-16, 2010 in Orlando, FL. During the conference many skill-building and educational workshops will be offered creating an excellent opportunity for interpreters to obtain training from nationally recognized experts in the interpreting field. Language specific workshops will be available for Haitian-Creole, Russian and Spanish. Other topics will include ethics, note-taking, abbreviation techniques, modes of interpretation, business practices and many others. Many of these workshops also qualify for CEU credit for ICP certified interpreters. Remember to request pre-approval if you intend to participate in any of them. For complete information on the NAJIT conference and the workshops, click here or visit the NAJIT website: www.najit.org.

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New English Practice Examination Kit

The English Practice Examination kit is designed for interpreters of all languages. Like the Spanish Practice Kit, it is meant to provide purchasers with a step-by-step process to increase their understanding of what a Consortium performance examination is like, the scoring methodology used, a sample of a passing performance and a self-assessment of their skills and readiness to take the exam. This is a highly recommended and valuable tool that, if used according to the prescribed method, will give candidates a more realistic view of their level of readiness to successfully perform in the oral examination. For more information and to purchase a copy, please go to the National Center for State Courts Web site at:

www.ncsconline.org/D_Research/CIPEK-ENG.asp

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Spanish Practice Examination Kit