A step beyond translation: training multi-skilled GILT specialists

In the digital era, translation practice is being deeply altered by the massive technologization of texts, environments and tools. Translators have the choice to stick to their more or less traditional skills, turn to translation technologies, or cross the digital frontier to grab new market chunks. Localization training, in particular, must confront these challenges as well as devise ad hoc competence models which can cope with the competing demands of an industry that is always in a state of flux. Industrial requirements, in fact, just like tools and technologies, risk to become obsolete before training institutions get acquainted with them. This paper reports on the ten-year experience of the CAWEB Master’s degree in web management and localization offered at the University of Strasbourg, in which translation (processes, technology, terminology) is only one part of a full-fledged localization curriculum, comprising such courses as web development and internationalization, desktop publishing, multimedia design and editing, in addition to digital law and project management. This is complemented by advanced on-the-job practice and industrial partnerships, in which professionals are called upon to be an active part in the course faculty. In bringing together translation and technology, communication and engineering, teamwork and professionalization, this competence model brings new insights into a specialized area that does not cease to confront change and fragmentation.