Join us as we talk to Zilong Yi, a Linguistics Compliance Intern at Light & Wonder, about his path from studying at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) to stepping into the game localization and compliance industry.
In this episode, Zilong shares how his MIIS coursework, professional experiences, and personal growth helped prepare him for his role, and what it’s like to apply linguistic skills in a global entertainment company.
In this episode, Rachael hosts a conversation with Minting and Jianjing about how volunteering can shape one’s localization career path and personal values. Through sharing their own experiences, they explore how TLM students can seek out volunteer opportunities while in school, what motivates them to get involved, and how these experiences can benefit their personal and professional growth.
Resources mentioned in the podcast:
Where to find volunteer work: https://www.volunteermatch.org/
Minting on her experience for subtitles translation for Translation Commons: https://mintinglu.middcreate.net/localization-and-translation/how-i-built-a-subtitle-localization-process-from-scratch/
The localization industry is super interesting, but it also comes with intensive schedules and pressure. In that context, prioritizing mental health is highly important for providing us with the energy to not only deal with the challenges in work but also care for our loved ones and ourselves.
In this episode, we invited Laura DeCook, founder of LDC Wellbeing, which offers engaging and interactive workshops to support people's mental well-being. Before founding her own company, Laura had extensive experience serving as a well-being specialist in big tech corporations.
We talked about how Laura moved from films and tech into mental health, how important it is to talk about mental health issues, and what students and people in the localization industry can do to boost their mental well-being.
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Join us in this episode to learn what these 5 Japanese localizers do and how they make it to where they are today.
Join us for an insightful interview with Vanesa, a seasoned professional in the field of localization. From her journey into the language services industry to her current role as Localization Quality Manager at Acclaro, Vanesa shares her experiences, challenges, and the unique dynamics of her position. Discover the intricacies of quality management, the essential skills required, and the impact of technology on enhancing project quality. Whether you're aspiring to be a Quality Manager or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes of localization, Vanesa's perspective offers valuable insights. Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the world of language services with a seasoned expert.
In this episode, Nina Hampton sits down with Rebecca Guttentag, a localization producer at Riot Games, talks about her journey into games localization, workflows and processes associated with producing and localizing a AAA game, the structure of Riot's localization team, what makes it good localization producer, and why you shouldn't be afraid to admit that you don't know something.
Listen in to hear more about the world of Games Localization.
One of many things that soon-to-be graduates worry about is how to apply the skills and knowledge obtained in the classroom to the real world. Entry level positions are no longer truly "entry level"- future graduates will need to go in with ideas at the ready. So how can future graduates implement things, such as localizability checks and content briefs, that were learned in classes and inject them into the company?
In this episode, we talk to Yelena Proskurin, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS), about her experience implementing new workflows and processes during her professional career and how future graduates can apply the topics that they learned during their time at MIIS to entry level job positions.
When entering the Localization Industry, one is often asked, "Do you want to work on the client side or vendor side?" More often than not, the response is usually client side. Deciding whether to aim for the client side or vendor side can be a big decision. We sat down with Winnie Heh, Career Advisor at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey focused in helping students in the Language industry, to discuss her experience and knowledge of the two great halves of Localization. Winnie speaks on the perceived differences in working conditions many have regarding the client and vendor side.
Now that we are in the third year of the covid-19 pandemic, remote working becomes the new norm for many people all over the world. How does the localization industry incorporate this shift? What are some benefits and difficulties managing a localization team in remote? Join us with Raffaella Buschiazzo, who is a localization director at Salesforce and learn how she and her team manage the transition.
Our passions can lead us anywhere we let them take us. Join us in this episode of ROAR as the co-founder of a computer-assisted translation software Termsoup Joanne Chou takes us through her journey from a translator to an entrepreneur. She will share how her experience as a translator and a UI/UX designer helped her during this transition and how staying in touch with the community can drive the improvement.
Welcome back to ROAR: Deep Dive—a podcast produced by the Middlebury Institute’s Translation and Localization Management Program, bringing together global voices from the Localization industry. In this episode, we have the great privilege of hearing from Aki Ito, CEO of Localization Guy LLC and rock musician, for a very special conversation about career and personal development. With thought provoking conversation Aki encourages us to take a step back from the stress-ridden details of career planning and learn to see ourselves, and our own place in the world, from a wider perspective. Aki shares with us his own story of career development, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and how those lessons have brought him to his current dream of becoming a rock star. Even for people not in the localization industry, this is one message from an industry leader that is sure to inspire.
Have you thought about exploring more career opportunities in the localization industry? Ann Chen, the business development manager at BLEND—a language service provider, is responsible for maintaining a positive relationship with clients and actively seeking out potential new clients. Throughout her journey in the localization industry, she has taken on many roles including freelancer, project manager, and business development specialist. In this episode, Ann shared how she prepared for each transition and what are necessary qualifications of a BDM.
Welcome back to ROAR: Speed Bumps—a podcast produced by the Middlebury Institute's Translation and Localization Management Program, bringing together global voices from the Localization industry. In this episode, we had the pleasure of talking with Sachi Salehi, a recent graduate of MIIS and a new translator at SEGA. Sachi shares with us her journey through MIIS to her position, what her education has helped her with, and what she wishes she had done differently to be better prepared. Both industry veterans and newbies should gain lots of insight into how Sachi's localization background brought her to this translation position.
In this episode, we have the pleasure to interview Katherine Huang, an International Strategist and Change Leader with over 20 years of experience in planning and executing global and local initiatives and programs. She has led a successful career at Adobe, acting as the chief strategist and champion of the Chinese market for Adobe Creative Cloud, and developed a team that grew international revenue by 50%. In this episode, she talked in detail about her career, how she started, what she has learned, what her passion is and how to get to where she is right now. Being an avid language enthusiast, a believer in cross-cultural communication, and a passionate entrepreneur, Katherine shares with us her journey in the localization industry.
For this episode of ROAR: Deep Dives, we talk to Ryan Holmberg, a comic historian and translator of alternative manga, best known for his work on the alternative manga magazine Garo. Ryan talks to us about how he found himself in this industry and how he'd like to see things change as interest in manga grows. If you'd like to see more from Ryan, be sure to follow him on Instagram at @mangaberg.
Have you ever wonder what it is like to manage different unique languages in which you have yet to develop full proficiency? David Mohr, an international quality engineer at Adobe, is responsible for supporting 26 languages and dealing with internationalization-related issues in adobe products. In this episode, David shared a myriad of linguistic and cultural challenges he has encountered in his work, how he built himself up by putting in the efforts to solve these issues, and how important it is to develop a deep understanding and have respect for cultures different from your own.
In this episode, we explore the responsibilities and challenges of a product manager with Thomas Hung who is a project management lead at West cost operation. Production Management is a multifaceted role that requires a person to develop multiple core competencies. If you are curious about the responsibilities of the production manager, and what does it take to manage multiple operations and challenging clients? How is it different from project management? Listen to Thomas as he talks about his career trajectory and how he handles daily challenges as a project management lead.
Freelance translation and interpretation is no walk in the park. Not every project is straight-forward and not all project managers are created equal. Listen in as Salim Martell (May 2020 graduate of the Translation and Localization Management Program at MIIS) and Chiyo Mori (Japanese Interpretation professor at MIIS and freelancer) while they discuss the unique challenges freelancers face when completing projects for localization providers.
How can you balance your social life and employment while functioning in the Localization industry? Listen in as Vanessa Prolow and Lina Yan Ning (both 2020 graduates from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies) discuss balance with Kayla Muñoz, a localization manager at Desmos, a math software developer.
In this podcast, Sherine Emara, Nadya Rodionova, Kimberly Zie interviewed MIIS alumna, Alicia Dominick, who is a Linguist and Project Manager at SoundHound. They discuss Alicia’s path from linguist to project manager and she gives tips on how to be a versatile, team player. Technological skills are crucial in the localization industry, and sometimes serve as a speedbump for professionals without a strong computer science background.
Music courtesy of musicjunkies.com