Employment rate and market sector occupation of graduates in translation and interpreting at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Abstract

This article presents the results of a market study into graduate employment for graduates in Translation and Interpreting from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain. Based on students who have graduated in the last 10 years, the study analyses the trajectory of their academic studies, employment status and identifies factors which influence having a career related to their university studies as well as income level. The results show that there is a high level of employment among these graduates with an average income level. They also illustrate that many of the subjects participating opted to continue their university studies after their B.A. in Translation and Interpreting. Positive influencing factors on earnings levels are overeducation and having participated in study abroad programmes. The kind of work graduates do is quite diverse and to some degree is closer to transversality common to applied language studies and international relations, than the specifics of translation and interpreting.