Global Connects are proud to consistently offer opportunities for university students to gain valuable work experience as part of their studies. Bringing skills in both French and Italian with, Carys joined us for our final placement of the academic year 2025-26, bolstering her postgraduate studies with industry experience. As well as her language skills, we were particularly impressed with how much effort Carys made to foster meaningful relationships with staff across the business. Here’s how it went in her own words:

1. Why did you want to take up an internship with Global Connects?

Upon graduating from my undergraduate degree in French and Italian, I knew I wanted to work in translation. I decided on the University of Strathclyde for my MSc in Translation Studies because the department facilitates the opportunity to carry out a translation industry placement as part of the degree.

This decision paid off; as soon as my university cohort received the job description for this 10-week internship as Assistant Linguist and Project Manager at Global Connects, I knew it was my top choice of placement. I was delighted to be offered the position!

2. What did you learn in your time here with us?

This internship provided me with invaluable experience and insights. Not only did I have the opportunity to (finally!) apply my translation experience to interesting and varied real-life projects, I also received a comprehensive introduction to translation project management. The Translation Project Management team also work alongside the Interpreting Booking team, and my mentor Antonia ensured I had the opportunity to speak to an interpreter and booking coordinator to better understanding interpreting roles in the industry.

At university, we learn to become experts in our languages of study. At master’s level and in the industry, we pair this knowledge with CAT tools to help us ensure that translations are consistent and of a high quality. Having previous experience using Trados, it was helpful to try out a different one in the form of memoQ, Global Connects’ preferred CAT tool.

3. What surprised you the most about working with us?

I was nervous to start the placement, given I had no previous experience in this industry. However, I was surprised to feel genuinely at ease in the office from day one. I was fortunate to work alongside the friendliest, most welcoming team, and Antonia made sure I felt comfortable to ask questions, no matter how ‘silly’ they were.

4. What will you be working on now?

I’ve still got my dissertation to write before I graduate with my MSc, so that’s the plan for this summer! My experience at Global Connects has reinforced my desire to work in the translation industry, so I hope to be able to work in a job like this when I graduate.

5. Being a postgrad, what advice do you have for other students studying languages at school and uni?

Keep studying! Languages will come in useful in so many areas of your life, and the opportunities and experiences you get by undertaking a languages degree are unmatched. Living abroad is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

It’s true that the translation industry is changing, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be out of a job. Machine translation (e.g. Google Translate, deepL) and CAT tools (e.g. memoQ, Trados) are now big players in the industry, but they cannot replace human translators. Translation requires an intimate knowledge of both language and culture, the latter of which only humans can bring to the table. These tools cannot work without human translators, but they can make translators’ lives easier. Be curious and eager to learn new technologies!

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As you can see, Carys has been able to develop further translation skills in French and Italian alongside making meaningful contributions to Global Connects as both a translator and a project manager. It was a pleasure working with Carys and we are sure that she will be very successful in her studies. We would be eager to welcome her back to the team and kick start her career in the translation industry, should an opportunity arise.