Its always great to see students complete the qualification that they set out to achieve and see the benefits that this brings to their life.
Have a look at what some of our students had to say when they had successfully completed their qualifications with the International School of Linguists;
David Tkac – Level 3 Certificate in Community interpreting
Have you enjoyed the qualification?
It was one of the more pleasant studies/work experiences I have had yet. General attitude of ISL staff was very good, my assessor was very accepting and great to work with and type of working on a qualification, no strict deadlines and working on assignments only when I decide that it fits my time, was extremely practical.
What has been your experience compared to your initial perception?
The qualification is based on my actual job. It has been much more practical and easier to do than I expected.
Did you progress as well as you hoped prior to making a start?
No, I did not. I was hoping to get it a bit faster, but I started a college and also move out to live on my own so I could not spend as much time on it as I intended to.
What were the biggest challenges you faced?
My own laziness. That is always the biggest challenge.
What would you change about your experience?
I cant think about anything really. I’m quite happy with everything, I think this is the exemplary well prepared and led qualification.
What did you enjoy most about the qualification?
Freedom of choice and very positive attitude of my assessor. She was very helpful and it was always nice to hear her. We could also every time find reasonable time for assignments and role play and observation. My assignments were always marked quickly and I didn’t have any big problems during the qualification because she already told me everything in a very long phone call at the beginning of the qualification. The full information is always the best way to start something new.
Is there anything that you would like to see more or less of in the qualification?
I would probably like to see less of those tiny writings through the course. I’m not exactly the type of person who would enjoy writing few words every few minutes, but they were in moderate amount so I could cope.
I would enjoy seeing more of the general theory to read online when logged in and maybe some book to order and read. We are living in the modern age of laptops and tablets but book is still the best feeling thing in hand.
How has completing this qualification impacted on your life?
I feel more confident in my everyday job and it also gave me more confidence in my private life. I can do many more things in one day at work and I don’t need to constantly worry if I do something wrong and watch myself closely.
I feel also a bit proud what is the best final effect. I feel more confident as a person so I don’t need to focus on myself and I can do my best to help others and I cope with stress much better. It might sound a bit odd at first, but I know myself as a person and I wouldn’t work on the qualification if I didn’t see it as satisfying and making me look a bit better in my internal view of myself.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of taking on this qualification?
Go for it. Consider your lifestyle, job, time and effort you want to put in it and go for it. It can lead to unexpected options.
What is next for you?
After completing this qualification, I have the chance to try to teach adults life skills in English. There are communities which struggle with writing CV´s, booking appointments or travelling to embassy in London. This can be shown to them in a very simple way, especially when you went through the same struggle and you also know how to present and explain things. I have also a TEFL certificate for teaching so I can work with them on a few levels. I can give them truly bilingual information and at the same time I should be able to build up their language skills. It feels good.
I’m also about to finish my GCSE in English and Maths what is going to open another access to a different variety of job roles. The constant work on oneself is hard but it pays off in a variety of surprising and beautiful ways.
Alan Ng – Level 3 Certificate in Community interpreting
Alan was one of our star students, finishing the Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting within a 2 months, which is our quickest completion time yet! We interviewed Alan shortly after he completed the qualification and in summary, here is what he had to say about his experience with ISL:
Q: Have you enjoyed the qualification?
A: Yes! I enjoyed it very much. I liked sharing my work and experiences throughout the assignments.
Q: What has been your experience compared to your initial perception?
A: At first, I thought the course would be very easy. Although the course was useful, I misjudged the amount of writing, typing, studying and researching.
Q: What were the biggest challenges you faced?
A: My computer skills are not as advanced so I thought the researching and typing tasks proved most difficult.
Q: How has completing this qualification impacted on your life?
A: I am so proud to have achieved this qualification. I feel confident enough to move on in my career as a community interpreter knowing I am qualified.
Q: What advice would you give to anyone thinking of taking on this qualification?
A: From my experience, I would definitely say work hard and try not to take a break in the qualification. Complete it while the information and knowledge is still fresh in your mind.
Q: What is next for you?
A: I would very much like further my skills through eduction and training with the International School of Linguists. So professional and supportive. I had support provided to me from 7:30am right through to 18:00pm regardless. I would highly recommend ISL.