Why do(n’t) interpreters do professional development?

Professional development (PD) has become a regular, if not mandatory, activity in some occupations. Among interpreters, levels of interest in and rates of uptake of PD appear to vary. In Australia, PD was introduced as mandatory for newly certified interpreters in 2014. From 2019, PD became mandatory for all interpreters wishing to gain or retain the credential ‘certification’; this requirement remained optional only for those who retained the old credential of ‘accreditation’. This study draws on the responses from more than 2,500 interpreters who were surveyed at the end of this transition period in relation to uptake rates, availability, barriers, benefits, usefulness, alignment to work and future aspirations. PD uptake among the study cohort is more than 80%; however, almost 40% of the participants reported that suitable PD is not readily available. Common barriers to PD uptake include the high cost and unsuitable timing and/or location. Aside from compliance fulfilment, the general benefits to be gained from PD include the acquisition of knowledge and skills in fields that interpreters currently work in and also those in further fields. However, a cross-tabulation of interpreters’ perceived need for the augmentation of knowledge or skills and the ability of PD to achieve this yielded mixed results. Interpreters’ reported preparedness to attend further PD is at a level higher than their actual reported attendance. Furthermore, PD is not shown to be a clear enabler for those aspiring to a higher level of certification for which further training is otherwise required.