My remote translation internship at AJT

Hi, I’m Martine, and I’m currently a German translation intern at AJT. Originally from Luxembourg, I moved to Cardiff, Wales in 2016 to complete a BA and MA in English Literature. However, I realised that working in a multilingual environment is what I ultimately wanted to do, so I began a Postgraduate Diploma in Translation at Bristol University and applied for a remote internship at AJT.

Onboarding – what you can expect

Having started the course only a few months prior and being new to the industry, I was not sure how to picture a day in the life of an in-house translator. Fortunately, AJT provided me with a detailed onboarding schedule the week before I started, which helped me feel at ease as I knew exactly what to expect. Initially I was concerned that as an intern I might not fit in with a team of professionals, but it quickly became clear there was no need to worry: right from the start I felt appreciated and included, it seemed that I had genuinely become part of the team. Getting to know my colleagues was straightforward, too, as a Slack environment had been set up to make day-to-day communication easy, helping me feel connected while working remotely.

Day-to-day life

My tasks mainly consist of translating materials from English into German, working with CAT tools (predominantly Smartling and Memsource).  While I had no prior experience in this field, one of my lovely colleagues gave me an in-depth induction on the first day, getting me ready to hit the ground running. I found that using new tools can be slightly difficult at the beginning, but the tools are very user-friendly, and my fellow linguists patiently answer every single one of my questions! I also receive in-depth written feedback on all my translations, and I have regular calls (at least bi-weekly) with my editors to discuss my work and my progress. These sessions have been incredibly helpful in many ways, from grammar/spelling to general tone of voice and getting to grips with extremely specialised jargon. Making mistakes is natural, and your translation might not be perfect from the start, but you will be given the chance to learn and experiment. So far, I have worked for a wide variety of clients in different fields: marketing, IT, audit, finance. Research is a big part of the translation process as well, and I am constantly learning – whether that be about tax or software for the construction industry!

In addition to the regular team meetings that allow me to learn about the company and my colleagues, the team also runs regular training sessions and ‘creative hours’. Because of the participants’ diverse backgrounds, every session is different. So far, I have had the opportunity to learn about marketing, sales, beekeeping, copywriting, and more besides – as you can see, there is something of interest for everyone!

Why you should apply, too

The AJT Team is incredibly well organised. Not only have they been hosting interns in-house for a long time, but they have also more recently been running remote internships and completed the move to remote working as a company in 2020. Interns work on translations from day one, all the while developing their skills in a safe and collaborative environment. My colleagues actively encourage me to communicate, helping me to overcome my fear of asking questions. If you ever find yourself interning here, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions, no matter how silly you might think they are.

The team is aware of potential problems associated with working from home and will welcome you with open arms. My team members reach out on a regular basis to check in on me, and my workload is adjusted according to my progress. AJT focuses on quality over quantity, guiding you on your path to becoming a competent translator who can be confident in their skills. I would love to be able to meet up in person one day, but I have never felt as though remote working is a hindrance. Maybe you’re scared you’ll miss out on feeling the team spirit, but this isn’t the case at AJT. Communication is key, and this place has it down to a T.


Interested in applying for a remote translation internship with AJT? Visit our Jobs page to find out more about our internships.