Introduction to Public Service Interpreting

This specially designed introductory ‘short-course’ offers a solid grounding in the technical skills (note-taking, glossaries, management of interpreting exchanges, etc) and ethics (confidentiality, impartiality, etc) of public service interpreting, and includes an internally assessed Certificate of Interpreter Proficiency (the minimum level of professional attainment required in order to work for our Service).

This course is not only an entity in its own right but also a formal introduction to our full Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) course.

Since HITS launched its ‘short-course’ format in 2002, over 2000 students at various locations throughout the UK have taken their first steps into professional public-service interpreting via this course.

For details of our training programme for the forthcoming academic year, please see Forthcoming Courses.

For more information about our ‘short’ courses, please contact our Training Department on 01442 867213 or email HITSrecruit@communityactiondacorum.org.uk

Admission Guidelines:

Trainees should be completely fluent and fully literate in both target languages. Speakers of languages without a written form should be literate in the relevant national language (e.g. Sylheti speakers must be able to read and write Bengali, Pakistani Punjabi speakers must be able to read and write Urdu).

Applicants must be aged 18 or over. They should be both fluent and literate in English and at least one other language.

All languages are welcome.

Enthusiasm, the ability to learn, and a proven commitment to helping others is more important than formal qualifications or previous experience.

Career Progression:

After completing the initial ‘short’ course and successfully undertaking an assessment of interpreter proficiency, trainees will be eligible to undertake paid sessional work for HITS on behalf of Health Trusts and Local Authorities throughout the East of England and beyond, helping people who are not fluent in English to access information and services.

For more information about our ‘short’ courses, please contact our Training Department on 01442 867213 or email HITSrecruit@communityactiondacorum.org.uk

Forthcoming Online Courses:

Our next Introduction (“short”) course will commence on Friday, December 1st, 2023

The full training schedule will be:

FRIDAY               DECEMBER 1ST       (11.00am-3.00pm)

MONDAY            DECEMBER 4TH     (11.00am-3.00pm)

FRIDAY               DECEMBER 8TH      (11.00am-3.00pm)

MONDAY            DECEMBER 11TH     (11.00am-3.00pm)

FRIDAY              DECEMBER 15TH      (11.00am-3.00pm)

For more information, please contact our Training Department on 01442 867213 or email us at:

HITSrecruit@communityactiondacorum.org.uk