Mandy Williams-Wendl – more than 15 years’ experience in interpreting and translation

  • Born in Australia in 1971, grew up in Gloucestershire, England
  • 1990/91 year out, including contracts at Barclays Bank in England and an international conference centre in Germany
  • B.A. course in German and Russian, Interpreting and Translating, at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Awarded prizes for German in first and fourth years of course
  • Spent one term at Moscow State Linguistic University, Russia, and one term at Heidelberg University, Germany, as part of the B.A. course
  • Gained initial real-life experience as a translator at “Translation Services” in Gloucester and as a freelance interpreter whilst still at university
  • 1995 graduated with a “B.A. with Honours of the First Class” degree
  • Moved to Cologne, Germany
  • 1995 started working as a freelance conference interpreter and translator, later founding “nativaComm” in Cologne
  • 1996-1997 worked as a freelance lexicographer for Pons dictionary publisher
  • 2004-2005 and 2008-2009 lectured in “Interpreting from German to English” at Cologne University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule Köln)
  • Lecturer in German Interpreting and Translation at Manchester University, UK, since autumn 2011

Specialist subjects

  • Development cooperation
  • Energy
  • Health and safety
  • Lighting
  • Metal
  • Music
  • Software development

How can translators and interpreters improve the quality of their work?

Mandy: I’ve been working in this field for more than 15 years and had the good fortune to work on lots of interesting assignments and I still feel committed to and passionate about what I do. Part of the reason is that I constantly endeavour to expand my skills and knowledge – both for my customers’ sake and for my own need to meet the high standards I set for my work. The following are just a few of the courses that have helped me in that endeavour:

  • August 2005, Cambridge Conference Interpreting Course (CCIC)
  • July 2007, seminar on “Information and knowledge management for conference interpreters” in Brussels
  • September 2007, seminar at Internationales Haus Sonnenberg on “British society today: new values, new roles, new identities”
  • January 2008, workshop run by the Verband der Konferenzdolmetscher (VKD, the German Conference Interpreters’ Association) on “The role of the consultant interpreter”
  • November 2008, workshop at Cologne University of Applied Sciences on “Translation of corporate film material”
  • September 2009, delegate at the “Interpreting the Future” conference, organised by the BDÜ (Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators); also interpreted one of the sessions
  • November 2010, BDÜ course on patent translation
  • January 2011, BDÜ course on renewable energies

Professional memberships

  • aiic, International Conference Interpreters’ Association (English A, German B)
  • VKD, German Conference Interpreters’ Association (English A, German B)