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Employment
Employment as a Sign Language Interpreter
Sign Language Interpreters work in schools, medical facilities, conference centres and theatres, government offices and visual relay centres. As Deaf individuals increase involvement in their communities the need for qualified Interpreters continues to grow, and Douglas College graduates are in high demand.
According to Work Futures (a major career-assessment project of Human Resources Development Canada and BC's Ministry of Advanced Education), the employment forecast for translators and interpreters calls for "much-faster growth" than the all-occupation average. Referring to all classes of interpreter (sign language and spoken languages), the report states:
"Interpreters mainly provide services at conferences, for discussion groups (escort-interpreters for trade delegations, for example) and in the legal field. This may require a lot of travel. Job openings are limited. Most interpreters work as freelancers, and many are also translators. Conference interpreters must have a high degree of physical and mental endurance, intense powers of concentration, mental flexibility, and rapid mental assimilation skills."
If you're mobile, you can increase your job options after graduation. Sign Language Interpreters are in demand in rural and some interior areas of British Columbia.
Salaries for Sign Language Interpreters range from approximately $26 per hour (for recent graduates working 25-30 hours per week in schools) to $35-55 per hour (freelance rates for experienced graduates with additional certification).
