Support for would be interpreters

People in Burngreave who would like to use their language skills to find work as interpreters or translators can now turn to the Burngreave Language Support Agency (BLSA) for help.

BLSA is a multi-purpose project being funded by BNDfC and managed by Burngreave Community Action Trust (BCAT).
According to Manager M Malik, the main aim of the project is to address the training needs of those with the potential to find work in the language sector:

“This project will provide local people with an excellent opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge by undertaking free accredited training courses locally. This is particularly important because by 2004 anyone who wishes to do translation/interpretation work must have a recognised qualification or they won’t be employed.”

The BLSA team consists of M Malik (Manager), Abida Nasreen (Development Worker), Mohamoud Brasab (Admin Assistant) and Suleman Mohammed (Volunteer Outreach worker). In just six weeks since it was established, the BLSA has already successfully put ten people on The Sheffield College (Ellesmere and Fir Vale Centre) training programme.

The BLSA is based at 61 Carlisle Street East and anyone who is interested in becoming a translator/interpreter or who needs further information about translation/interpretation training, should contact the team on 272 2833 or email info@blsa.org.uk.