Faculté de traduction et d'interprétation

Name: Heba ZOHNI 

Year of graduation: 2016 

Current post: Arabic Conference Interpreter, United Nations Headquarters, New York 

Language combination: Arabic (A), French (B), English (C) 

 Accreditations or memberships: United Nations Competitive Examination 

1)         Are you happy that you chose to study at the FTI and why?  

When I think of FTI, Technology and Diversity are what first comes to mind. The school is equipped with top-of-the-line labs and equipment which optimizes the learning experience. Students in my class were from different cultures, ages, and experiences, and we became one small family - and we still are! This diversity helped me to learn and interpret speeches about my classmates’ respective countries, political systems, cultures, and even their humor, which came in very useful in my professional career. Finally, FTI is in a very cosmopolitan city where international organizations – our future employers! - are a few steps away and where we can do our training. Last but not least for chocolate lovers like me, Geneva has some of the best chocolatiers in the world and they proved indispensable for morale boost. 
 

2)         How did your career progress after the FTI? 

After my studies at FTI, I passed the United Nations Competitive Examination and became a staff member at the UNHQ New York. This was a dream that finally came true. At the UN I work at the heart of international events such as in the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Main Committees. Work at the UNHQ is enriching and challenging, yet extremely gratifying. Thanks to my studies at the FTI, I am able to cope with challenges and strive for excellence. In pursuit of continuous learning, I returned to FTI as an online student in 2021 and obtained my Master of Advanced Studies in Interpreter Training in 2023. At the UN I have completed all Russian language classes, and I am currently working on adding Russian as a C to my language combination. 

Nom: Guillaume Voirgard 

Année de l’obtention du diplôme: 2018

Poste actuel: interprète freelance

Combinaison linguistique: anglais, espagnol, italien > français  

 Accréditations et adhésions: UE (2020), ONU (CELP, 2023) et membre actif AIIC

1)      Êtes-vous satisfait d’avoir choisir la FTI pour vos études, si oui, pourquoi? 

Extrêmement satisfait car, outre les installations modernes, les qualités professionnelles des enseignants, tous interprètes en activité, m’ont permis de progresser jusqu’au niveau requis par les organisations internationales. Les qualités humaines et la pédagogie du corps professoral ont fait que cet apprentissage, bien qu’exigeant, soit plus aisé car manifestement bienveillant et objectif. Les professeurs ont aussi su me transmettre que cet apprentissage était continu, qu’il ne s’arrêtait pas à l’obtention du diplôme et qu’un échec à un test d’accréditation pouvait arriver. Il faut alors persévérer et continuer de s’exercer: le travail finit par payer et les professeurs deviennent des collègues et amis toujours de bon conseil.

2)      Comment votre carrière a-t-elle évolué après l’obtention de votre diplôme?

Après une première année positive pendant laquelle j’ai maintenu un autre emploi flexible en parallèle, puis 6 mois de traversée du désert avec la Covid, mon activité d’interprète a véritablement décollé et m’a permis à elle seule de subvenir à mes besoins tout en me présentant en parallèle aux tests d’accréditation de l’UE et de l’ONU.

Name: Josie Holley 

Year of graduation: 2015 

Current post: freelance interpreter

Language combination: English A, French C, Spanish C  

 Accreditations or memberships: UN + EU accreditation, AIIC member

1)     Are you happy you chose to study at FTI and why?

Yes, because I feel it properly prepared me for professional life and gave me a foundation of professional skills that I could continue to build on to improve.

2)  How did your career progress after the FTI?

Pretty smoothly! I was lucky enough to be able to sit the UN freelance accreditation quite soon after graduation, and passed. Initially, I worked a lot at UNOG and ILO, and since then have started working at other organisations and added EU accreditation. My work is quite varied, and I still enjoy learning about all different topics for my meetings.

Name: Kit Sainsbury 

Year of graduation: 2020

Current post: freelance interpreter

Language combination: English A, French C, German C, Spanish C  

 Accreditations and membership: EU, UN and EPO accreditation, AIIC member

1)      Are you happy you chose to study at FTI and why?

I have no doubt that studying at the FTI was the right choice! The programme is intense, time-consuming, and physically and emotionally draining – it shouldn’t be taken lightly but the hard work is worth it. The course is holistic and well-structured but still leaves room for classes to be tailored to small groups of individual students and specific language pairs. Detailed, constructive feedback is given at regular intervals, and teachers are generally open to discussing interpreting strategies used and choices made, making the effort to explain why other options might have been more appropriate. Longer mock-conference classes are held regularly and are a fantastic opportunity to build interpreting stamina and learn to work as a team with various boothmates. The programme also includes compulsory student-led group sessions based on the principles of deliberate practice – this behind-the-scenes work between classes makes a big difference. The FTI’s location in Geneva is a significant advantage as students are offered the opportunity to attend high-level multilingual conferences, either to observe or to try interpreting meetings in a practice booth. At later stages of the programme, students are also able to practise their skills in real-life scenarios as volunteer interpreters at events vetted by the faculty.

2)      How did your career progress after the FTI?

As pandemic restrictions were lifted in 2021, I found the transition from the FTI to the Geneva freelance interpretation market to be a smooth one. All of my teachers at the FTI worked on the local market either as freelancers or as staff within the UN system, and they were all keen to offer advice and answer any questions about how to bridge the gap and approach potential employers. My training, not only in interpreting, but also in the functioning of international organisations, set me in good stead to enter the booth well-prepared and with strategies to tackle any unexpected topics. I worked for a steadily increasing number of international organisation clients in Geneva and, having gained some professional experience, I felt ready to take the next step in my career, seeking the official accreditation of international bodies as well as AIIC membership. I am now based in Brussels, where I work mainly for the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Patent Office as a freelance interpreter. My current professional goal is to add Greek to my language combination.