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Sorenson Communications and San Antonio College (SAC) Partner to Address Demand for Highly-Skilled, Trilingual Interpreters for the Deaf
Sorenson Communications, the leading provider of Video Relay Services (VRS) for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, today announced a partnership with San Antonio College (SAC). The partnership provides VRS mentor-based training to SAC interpreting students who are interested in a career in the growing VRS field. The unique program, designed to strengthen both the quality and quantity of interpreters available to meet the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, provides two advanced certification programs—Enhanced Interpreting and Trilingual Interpreting.
The two certificate programs at SAC will begin fall semester and may be taken for college credit. Enhanced Interpreting is aimed at working Level 1 interpreters who want to improve their skills and certification level. Trilingual Interpreting, for which there is a growing demand, will prepare students for VRS interpreting for both English and Spanish speaking individuals as well as provide state certification for this specialty.
“The advent of VRS for the deaf community has created a world of new opportunity for both deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and the interpreters who serve them,” says Lauri Metcalf, department Chair of the ASL Training and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services at SAC. “Our partnership with Sorenson Communications provides students with accelerated training and focused experience that will prepare them to move more quickly into these highly-skilled, high-value professional positions.”
A key component of Sorenson Communications’ involvement with SAC is through its Video Interpreter-Provisional (VI-P) Mentorship Program. Promising individuals, identified through the SAC Interpreting Program, join the Sorenson team for 60 to 80 hours of intensified training and mentoring in video relay interpreting under the guidance of two or three seasoned Sorenson VRS professionals. VI-P graduates typically move into more highly-skilled positions in a fraction of the time that would normally be required for them to gain comparable skills. In addition, Sorenson Communications also advises SAC on curriculum and providing practical experience for students to better prepare them for careers in ASL interpreting.
“San Antonio College is on the forefront in training quality VRS trilingual interpreters,” notes Pat Nola, president and CEO of Sorenson Communications. “The quality of SAC graduates is exceptional. We are fortunate to participate with SAC in developing programs that will ensure future quality interpreting services for a growing number of VRS users.”
“The real payoff is to see the look of joy on the face of a deaf individual who is able to easily communicate through VRS with Spanish-speaking relatives or friends,” said Sarah Compton, manager and trainer for the Sorenson Communications San Antonio VRS Interpreting Center. “That’s the ultimate purpose of this partnership and program.”
For additional information about the Sorenson Communications-SAC Enhanced Interpreting and Trilingual Interpreting programs, contact Sarah Compton at 866-403-1376 or at scompton@sorenson.com.
Sorenson Communications, the leading provider of Video Relay Services (VRS) for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, today announced a partnership with San Antonio College (SAC). The partnership provides VRS mentor-based training to SAC interpreting students who are interested in a career in the growing VRS field. The unique program, designed to strengthen both the quality and quantity of interpreters available to meet the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, provides two advanced certification programs—Enhanced Interpreting and Trilingual Interpreting.
The two certificate programs at SAC will begin fall semester and may be taken for college credit. Enhanced Interpreting is aimed at working Level 1 interpreters who want to improve their skills and certification level. Trilingual Interpreting, for which there is a growing demand, will prepare students for VRS interpreting for both English and Spanish speaking individuals as well as provide state certification for this specialty.
“The advent of VRS for the deaf community has created a world of new opportunity for both deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and the interpreters who serve them,” says Lauri Metcalf, department Chair of the ASL Training and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services at SAC. “Our partnership with Sorenson Communications provides students with accelerated training and focused experience that will prepare them to move more quickly into these highly-skilled, high-value professional positions.”
A key component of Sorenson Communications’ involvement with SAC is through its Video Interpreter-Provisional (VI-P) Mentorship Program. Promising individuals, identified through the SAC Interpreting Program, join the Sorenson team for 60 to 80 hours of intensified training and mentoring in video relay interpreting under the guidance of two or three seasoned Sorenson VRS professionals. VI-P graduates typically move into more highly-skilled positions in a fraction of the time that would normally be required for them to gain comparable skills. In addition, Sorenson Communications also advises SAC on curriculum and providing practical experience for students to better prepare them for careers in ASL interpreting.
“San Antonio College is on the forefront in training quality VRS trilingual interpreters,” notes Pat Nola, president and CEO of Sorenson Communications. “The quality of SAC graduates is exceptional. We are fortunate to participate with SAC in developing programs that will ensure future quality interpreting services for a growing number of VRS users.”
“The real payoff is to see the look of joy on the face of a deaf individual who is able to easily communicate through VRS with Spanish-speaking relatives or friends,” said Sarah Compton, manager and trainer for the Sorenson Communications San Antonio VRS Interpreting Center. “That’s the ultimate purpose of this partnership and program.”
For additional information about the Sorenson Communications-SAC Enhanced Interpreting and Trilingual Interpreting programs, contact Sarah Compton at 866-403-1376 or at scompton@sorenson.com.