The Journey of Young Professionals in The Translation Market: A Study Exploring Opportunities for Translators in Tripoli

Abstract

This study explores the current state of the translation job market from the perspective of recent translation graduates. It attempts to evaluate the efficiency of the academic and technical training programs of the Department of Translation (DoT) at the University of Tripoli. The study examines how well DoT prepared graduates for professional work. It collects insights and analyzes a database of a variety of status indicators such as employment conditions, career options available for new translation graduates, domains that translators regularly search for: salary and income, occupational standards including years of experience and skills and qualifications required by employers. Based on evidence collected from the database, there is a wide range of employment positions and domains in which a translation graduate can occupy. However, quantitative analysis of the survey administered to translation graduates indicates that most graduates tend to work as teachers and could not obtain jobs as translators due to a shortage of opportunities and low salary intake in the translation industry. The study reveals that experience is not specified, and applicants with limited experience are also valued by employers in the 21st century job market. Nevertheless, the results of the investigation also suggest that IT skills, advanced language knowledge, and strong interpersonal skills are all crucial elements for job-seekers with no significant amount of experience. Furthermore, most graduates have a medium to negative perception of the university training and did not feel prepared enough to join the labor market after graduation. Although the vast majority of participants claim that the current situation in Tripoli had a direct impact on their job-seeking experience, about a third of the total participants surveyed revealed that they managed to obtain opportunities abroad using their translation degree.