Getting TRADOS certification Thread poster: Sara Senft
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Sara Senft 
United States
Local time: 15:18
Spanish to English
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It's seeming more and more like I would benefit from getting TRADOS certification. However, I have some questions about it.
1) What does TRADOS do?
2) How do I get certified in it?
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Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 22:18
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
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| First you have to buy it | Jun 12, 2008 |
I have been using Trados for a few years, but when I tested my knowledge I didn't pass Level 1. The certification is not easy at all, you need experience and you have to study a lot.
So you better go to the SDL website to find out what it is all about.
Regards
Heinrich
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| Training vs. certification | Jun 12, 2008 |
Hi Sara,
If you are asking what Trados does, then I am not sure that certification is what you should aim at. As Heinrich says, certification is very hard to obtain, and furthermore I definitely think that some of the questions in it are more for engineers or PMs than for translators.
Besides, there are other ways to get to know the application and to learn how to use it: the first good method is to read the manual and to use it extensively.
After that, if you feel this... See more Hi Sara,
If you are asking what Trados does, then I am not sure that certification is what you should aim at. As Heinrich says, certification is very hard to obtain, and furthermore I definitely think that some of the questions in it are more for engineers or PMs than for translators.
Besides, there are other ways to get to know the application and to learn how to use it: the first good method is to read the manual and to use it extensively.
After that, if you feel this is not enough, you could follow one of the training courses organized either by SDL or by other organizations (there are plenty available everywhere!).
As was already concluded in other threads, the methodology you use really depends on you and your usage of the solution: some will just read the manual, others will prefer a formal training in a class, others will use Webex...
Whatever the method, the best way to learn is to practice it first
Good luck,
Annelise ▲ Collapse
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| Who cares for a Trados certifications?? | Jun 12, 2008 |
Hi,
never anybody asked me for a Trados or any other certificate. I also don't have any Micosoft certificate that proves that I am able to work with Word or Excel.
Stop getting brainwashed by ROI calculators and other publicity arguments.
I am waiting for Wordfast 6 to get finally rid of Trados.
Kind regards
Noe
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Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 15:18
German to English
| Useful for in-house position | Jun 12, 2008 |
Having Trados certification might be an advantage when applying for an in-house position at a large translation company or agency so that you could provide technical support to the company and its freelancers. I don't see much value to a freelancer, however. Knowing all the obscure features of the software won't make you a better translator.
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Selcuk Akyuz
Türkiye
Local time: 22:18
English to Turkish
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| agencies do not ask for Trados certification | Jun 12, 2008 |
Srta Sara wrote:
1) What does TRADOS do?
Sells the following: software, updates to its software (patches?), certification programs, support & maintenance agreements.
2) How do I get certified in it?
First, you have to buy the software.
For the first exam (placement exam) you have to confirm that you own a legal registered copy of SDL Trados 2007. Then, for the next exams, you have to buy Courseware and Intermediate Exam.
Well but agencies do NOT ask for Trados certification, and even they do not ask for Trados.
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| Trados is no company | Jun 13, 2008 |
[quote]Selcuk Akyuz wrote:
Srta Sara wrote:
1) What does TRADOS do?
Sells the following: software, updates to its software (patches?), certification programs, support & maintenance agreements.
[quote]
Hi,
just one correction: Trados is not a company any more, it was acquired by SDL (a British company) a few years ago already. SDL combined its own CAT tool, SDLX, with Trados' CATY tools (Translator's Workbench and TagEditor) within a software package named SDL Trados.
The main point is whether Sara wants to learn how to use the product or whether she sees certification as a tool to get more clients. If it's the second answer, then clearly I don't think this might gain her more clients. But again Sara, it's up to you to determine what you are looking for and what you need.
Best,
Annelise
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| It is really difficult to pass even the first level exam | Jun 13, 2008 |
I have the same experience as Heinrich. I have been using Trados for about 3 years, and use rather more than only the basic functions, as I try to get the most out of it using it.
I have also attended two separate full-day courses about Trados, an introductory one and an advanced one. At both of these courses I learnt about further features I did not previously know about, which I then began to use daily.
Since attending these two courses, and using Trados pretty much t... See more I have the same experience as Heinrich. I have been using Trados for about 3 years, and use rather more than only the basic functions, as I try to get the most out of it using it.
I have also attended two separate full-day courses about Trados, an introductory one and an advanced one. At both of these courses I learnt about further features I did not previously know about, which I then began to use daily.
Since attending these two courses, and using Trados pretty much to the full regularly, I have tried the first level exam twice, and failed it twice. I found that the questions do not relate much to the features used daily by translators. As far as I recall, there were a number of questions about installation and such technical issues. Even if I did know the answer to these questions by the time I had successfully installed Trados on my computer, I would hardly know the answers to them a few years later. Secondly, the questions focus a lot on TagEditor and, since I only translate legal documents and not web sites, etc., I have no need to use TagEditor. However, anyone who does not know all the ins and outs of TagEditor cannot pass the first level exam.
So, you see, it is very awkward to obtain Trados certification.
Astrid ▲ Collapse
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Jason Young
China
Local time: 03:18
Member (2008)
English to Chinese
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| Trados kills | Aug 10, 2008 |
That's what it does.
Trados prevents inconsistency in translation, but many agencies are now using it to cut down the price they have to pay the translators. If they love it so much, why don't they depend on Trados for the whole text....
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