Amey Higgon
Amey Higgon (pictured above), NDfocus Porto 2018: focus on project management
The elia NDfocus event in sunny Porto was specifically tailored to project managers, and it was a great opportunity to meet other PMs in the industry.
The conference was split into two parts, with presentations given on the first day, and the second day reserved for group workshops in which we discussed the speakers’ points in more detail in small groups. The presentations gave insight into a variety of topics, including addressing client concerns and workflow bottlenecks, how to be more assertive in everyday interactions and how to make sure every client receives a tailored service, just for them.
I gained invaluable advice from my peers as we all chipped in to try and solve a range of scenarios. Through workshop discussions and chats during coffee breaks, I found that even though the translation agencies that the other attendees work for vary greatly in both size and location, we all encounter similar issues every day at work – this event was an excellent way for us all to share our knowledge and tried-and-tested solutions with each other.
I particularly enjoyed the keynote speech on the future of the industry by Tucker Johnson. As we quickly found out, Tucker is no futurist and could not predict exactly what will happen in the world of translation. What he could do however was provide us with tips on how best to adapt to whatever comes next. After all, we don’t have control over what will happen with the industry, what matters is how we react to it.
Ruth Parkin, NDVienna 2018
Earlier this month, elia celebrated its 22nd ‘Networking Days’ event in Vienna, where language industry experts and language service providers alike came together to share their knowledge through presentations and discussions with the goal of expanding and building on their networks.
The event takes place every October over two days and this year the event was divided across six tracks: IT, business success stories, GDPR, soft skills, interpreting and business strategies. This year’s programme was specifically designed to address a range of business challenges, allowing delegates the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on the ever-changing translation industry. With so much on offer, reaching a decision on which talks to attend could prove quite the challenge for some; however, as Compliance Officer here at STB, it made sense for me to follow the GDPR track.
SDL’s Sabina Jasinska (pictured below) presented on ‘Digital marketing in the time of GDPR and ePrivacy regulations’. Sabina was an engaging speaker and it was great to see that STB is on the same page as an industry giant when it comes to compliance with data protection regulations.
Sabina Jasinska
As well as the welcome reassurance that we are doing things right, I also enjoyed putting my networking skills to the test, rubbing shoulders with several of the industry’s key players, but also learning how strategic planning may be key in growing STB and its future. Watch out world, here we come!
If you’d like to hear more about our membership of elia, these specific events, or our range of professional translation services, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via hello@surreytranslation.co.uk.
