The language services industry, encompassing interpreting, translation, localization, and related technologies – is worth $33 billion globally, according to the latest market size estimates from Common Sense Advisory.

She’s back! In a guest post on Forbes.com, Nataly Kelly, Chief Research Officer at the Boston-based research firm Common Sense Advisory and co-author of Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World (Penguin), once again draws our attention to the language services industry as one of the biggest that many of us have never heard of.

In her post, Kelly writes that one of the few bright spots of Hurricane Sandy was a woman named Lydia Callis. Those who watched New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg address the public became entranced by her ability to quickly and expressively convert the mayor’s words into sign language. Even during the height of the storm, Callis was the lead story in many news outlets, and she soon became an internet sensation.

Callis’s moment in the spotlight presented us with a brief glimpse of a job that is largely ignored in American society. Nevertheless, in times of emergency when communication is critical, it’s work like hers that’s vital. Yet, many don’t realize that overcoming language barriers is a field that employs tens of thousands of people throughout the United States.

Many regard translators and interpreters as niche professions. But these professionals are found in every conceivable industry sector. And no, most interpreters (who work with spoken or signed languages) do not work at the United Nations. Instead, like Callis, they can be found in government offices, hospitals, courtrooms, and schools.

“Likewise, the majority of the world’s translators (who deal with written words) do not translate books. The largest amount of work in this field comes from the manufacturing sector,” writes Kelly.

In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified language translation and interpretation as one of the fastest-growing professions in the country.

“In 2010, there were an estimated 58,400 jobs in translation and interpreting. These jobs are well-paying, with an average national salary of $43,300. Salaried interpreters and translators can earn up to six figures annually, depending on where they live and work. Many of these professionals work as freelancers,” Kelly points out.

As for professionals like Callis, who specialize in sign language interpreting, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf has more than 16,000 members and 58 affiliate chapters.

“Currently, there is a national shortage of sign language interpreters in the United States, even though there are 40 schools offering bachelor degree programs in American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting and 78 that offer associate degrees,” according to Kelly.

So are we likely to see more of Lydia Callis and others like her in the near future, asks Kelly? “The answer is ‘yes,’ and that can be heard – or signed – around the world,” she answers.

More information on the language services industry can be obtained from the Common Sense Advisory.

By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.

See Also

• Language translation professionals are found in every conceivable industry sector
  Translation is the act of rewriting a document, changing it into another language.
• Contrary to popular belief, most language interpreters do not work at the United Nations
  Language Interpreting is the process of translating spoken words from one language into another.
• Lydia Callis and the Biggest Industry You've Never Heard Of by Nataly Kelly
  One of the few bright spots of Hurricane Sandy was a woman named Lydia Callis.
• Found in Translation About the book
  Translation affects every aspect of your life and we're not just talking about the obvious things, like world politics and global business.