Work as a placement

We have been able to offer work placements to a number of students of various ages and nationalities. All have an interest in learning about the translation industry. Students are offered full training and integration into the company.

In the early stages of your career in the translation industry?

Our Work Placement Scheme is closed for the time being, but watch this space for our next round of applications. You are welcome to contact Charlie Reston to register your interest, and she will be in touch once applications re-open.

Should you be interested in applying to take part in a future placement, we ask that you send us an updated CV and cover letter, outlining what you think you can bring to the team and why you are suitable. Make it personal, make it creative, and let us know who you are!

We want you to get the most out of any placement as possible, so if you’re in the early stages of your career and have particular areas of interest, do let us know so that we can shape the responsibilities around you and your desired career path.

Successful candidates will be invited to an informal interview which may be remote, depending on where you are based. Before applying, please do make sure you are able to commit to working in our St Albans office every day, Monday to Friday.

Please note, we will pay you the Living Wage (which, as of this writing, is currently £10.90 per hour) for 30 hours a week.

Any questions at all, don’t hesitate to email Charlie or give her a call on 01727 812725.

Still at school and looking for work experience?

If you’re keen to pursue languages as a career and/or in future studies after school, then get in touch to see whether we might be able to offer you some work experience and shadowing in our St Albans office.

We’ll give you the opportunity to understand the goings on in a translation agency by inviting you to shadow our friendly team of project managers – we may even ask you to do some mock translations for us!

If this sounds like something you might enjoy, drop us an email outlining when you would like to come and join us, letting us know your language(s) and any other interests. It’s always nice to get a sense of who you are, so make it creative and personal!

Since 1991

We have been offering work placements since 1993. We are pleased that previous placement students have found them to be invaluable. Some have ended up working in-house for Atlas, others have gone on to other translation companies. Many now work for Atlas on a freelance basis.

It should be noted that students are NOT assigned translation work (unless they have relevant commercial experience).

We take on students and graduates from both the UK and overseas.

Why does Atlas have work placements?

Training of future translators and project managers.
Providing realistic expectations of what translators actually do.
Strengthening the market of freelance translators.
Recruitment opportunities.
Networking.
Corporate Social Responsibility.
Two-way learning – we learn a lot from our placement students!
To improve the training and employability of graduates and postgraduates of language and translation courses.
Strengthen links between Atlas and graduate/postgraduate students.

What is the duration of work placements

A minimum of three months, on a full time basis. Please note that we offer full and detailed training. We do not offer part time placements or work placements for less than three months.

Range of work experience for work placements

Translation/proofreading tasks – limited amount depending on commercial experience.
IT skills.
Project Management – understanding client requirements.
Working relationships – development of trust and support between colleagues and student.
Internet search/glossaries and dictionaries on-line for terminology.
Admin such as invoicing, purchase orders, contracts, payments, post, filing, archives, maintaining records and databases.

What’s in it for work placement students?

This is a hands-on position offering experience in project management of translation projects.
Mentoring/training – named supervisors and regular (informal) meetings.
An excellent first step in your career. Work placements give you better job prospects. Plus the opportunity to apply your new knowledge and skills in a commercial environment.
Past work placements refer to learning about…Business practice, dealing with clients, dealing with problems, negotiating deadlines, estimating jobs, managing budgets. Experience of working with Trados, organisation of time and electronic files…
Participating in the development and writing of marketing materials and blogs.
Recruiting, assessing and managing the application process for prospective translators.
Assessing documents and software.

Aims of the work placement programme

Introduce students to a real-life translation environment.
Make students aware of the culture and structure of the professional translation environment. Build the necessary skills associated with it.
Observe and participate in translation projects and activities appropriate to their competence. Building on and extending their translation-related skills.
Apply skills in the working environment, under pressure and according to deadlines – independently and part of a team.

What we expect from work placement students

Must be highly creative, have excellent written communication skills, and be able to work independently.
Conduct themselves professionally, with staff and clients.
Should act within the terms and condition of our contractual agreement.
To undertake work to a satisfactory standard.
Maintain a reasonably smart appearance.
Arrive punctually for work and any meetings.
Report any absence from work as soon as possible.

Testimonials and FAQs

Read our Work Placement testimonials, based on feedback from work placements who have completed placements.

We also have a “frequently asked questions document”, which you can download here.

Contact charlie@atlas-translations.co.uk with any other queries.

See the LinkedIn company page here.

Atlas provided another high-quality French translation of one of our policy briefs. They respond quickly to our needs and delivered a document that we were confident to send straight to printing and distribution. We’re happy to include Atlas as one of our trusted partners.

Future Agricultures Consortium

What an excellent and prompt service! Thank you very much for the extremely fast turnaround and efficient service.

Scottish Prison Service

The translator did an impeccable job. The translation notes were not only helpful but showed a tremendous dedication to the task and outstanding professionalism all around. A very special thank you to Atlas.

Sistemas Congnitivos (SISCOG)

I was particularly impressed with the speed in which you turned the work around, and the quality of the work was excellent. Many thanks. It was a pleasure working with you.

Snell & Wilcox

Atlas have been translating (policy documents) for us into several languages since 2004. They are friendly and efficient and have always provided accurate and cost-effective translations well within the agreed deadlines.

Oxford Policy Management