ITI Profile: Gianfranco Nunez

I am a junior translator from Peru, and my journey in the field began in mid-2023 when I started working as a professional translator. Since mid-2024, I have also been working as a localiser. I graduated from the undergraduate programme in Professional Translation and Interpreting in Lima, Peru, in July 2023.

I have always been fascinated by language and the complex realities of the translation world, and this inspired me to become a translator and interpreter. To broaden my career-oriented skills as a professional translator, I have undertaken various translation courses provided by reputable institutions such as RWS, CIOL, and other notable organisations in the sector.

During my final semester as an undergraduate, I was employed as a medical and financial interpreter, translating between English and Spanish. This was an immensely informative position as it gave me valuable practical experience and greater exposure to the real-time challenges of translation. Moreover, I participated in an independent audiovisual translation assignment with a Peruvian dubbing company.

After completing my degree, I immediately took up the position of legal translator at an American immigration office, where I was able to apply the knowledge and skills I had gained during my studies. By mid-2024, I had the opportunity to work with Latamways and Uber Latin America in the field of localisation. I began to practise some of the skills I had learned during a workshop at university. In addition, I am a translator associated with RWS WorkZone and RWS Moravia, and I collaborate with various other freelance professionals worldwide.

In my career, I aspire to work at a reputable global translation organisation where I can further enhance and refine my translation skills. I look forward to the advancements that AI tools will bring, particularly in minimising administrative tasks and other monotonous work that can consume time in our field. That being said, I firmly believe translators must emphasise to businesses and clients that translation is a complex process requiring human involvement. Overreliance on tools such as LLMs or AI for translations poses significant risks, including exposing sensitive fields to security issues, diminishing content quality, and introducing grammatical flaws. Embracing technological advancements while ensuring human oversight remains critical for our profession.

Attending a webinar about translation organisations gave me an excellent opportunity to discuss with an ITI member why I wanted to participate in it. This allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the benefits of ITI membership. I was able to ask them questions about ITI, and they provided detailed insights about the organisation’s advantages. After analysing the information they sent me via email, I realised that joining ITI would significantly enhance my career.

As an aspiring translator, joining the ranks of ITI members offers the chance to network with other professionals and experts in fields such as translation, localisation, interpretation, and transcreation. ITI membership also gives me access to cutting-edge tools, linguistic service providers, and valuable professional development opportunities. The renowned Continuing Professional Development initiative and ITI’s webinars for translators at all experience levels are resources I believe greatly supports career growth. Furthermore, collaboration with industry experts helps me maximise the benefits of ITI membership.