Types of Certification

Certificate versus Certification

Many translators and interpreters believe that if they have earned a certificate from an educational institution, they are certified. There is a confusion in understanding of these two terms.

Having obtained a diploma or a certificate just means that a person has completed a certain program in translation, interpretation, or both. In a resume, such certificate or a diploma is included in the Education section.

Conversely, a certification is a competency-based assessment designed to evaluate mastery of certain skills.

For example, in the US, court interpreting certification evaluates mastery in simultaneous, consecutive, and sight interpreting. To maintain such certification, an interpreter needs to stay current with the profession through continuing education. Certification assessment is administered in the form of proctored exams by an authorized body.

The principles of certification expiration and the difference between certification and certificate, apply in other countries as well, for instance in the UK. Therefore, it is extremely important for interpreters and translators, no matter in what country they are, to list themselves properly in databases as professional certifications are publicly verifiable.