Cihan Kılıç Aydın, founder of Eylül Çeviri and Çeviri Sepeti, made important statements, drawing attention to structural problems the translation sector is faced with. Having pointed out that the sector needs to have a chamber structure like other professional chambers, Mrs. Aydın has said that existing associations are not sufficient and they are not accredited.
Mrs. Aydın has said that translation agencies and translators must be registered and affiliated with a professional chamber with established standards, just like accountants and architects. “We are, too, tax paying and registered entities. Nonetheless, most of translators working for us do not have self-employed receipt. We’re faced with serious problems since we do not have a chamber,” said she.
Mrs. Aydın, drawing attention to the fact that existing system is managed by laws dating back to 1920s, said, “The process should be managed through exams to be organized by Ministry of Justice and via institutions such as SSPC (Turkish Student Selection and Placement Center). Similar to the way physicians are given certificates after taking TUS (Test for Specialization in Medicine) text and the way lawyers are authorized after completion of internship, we, too, should establish a similar system under the roof of a professional chamber.”
Translation Sector makes a Huge Contribution to the National Economy
Mrs. Aydın, who has pointed out that translation industry makes a huge contribution to the national economy, indicated that such contribution is at the level of about 4 percent. “Such figure cannot be regarded as too little. Turkey comes to the fore through its service sector, and translation is an indispensable service in many fields ranging from tourism, textile to engineering, commerce.” said she.
Having underlined importance of the sector, Mrs. Cihan Kılıç Aydın reminds that translation plays a critical role in every part of life, saying “You do not exist without language. Everyone will need translation one day.”
Is Translation a Profitable Profession?
Mrs. Aydın who has also touched upon profitability of translation as a profession, said, “Language has been and will be a profitable line of work throughout the history.” Nonetheless, she said, “For those aiming for an earning above the standard, translation is, for sure, a profitable line of work if one is able to produce a high quality translation”, indicating that earnings vary depending on expectations.
