But the registration deadline is fast approaching: Saturday, July 19th.

Download a flyer for more information and sign up today! Questions?  Contact AATIA Director of Professional Development Maurine McLean.

The final issue of The AATIA Letter is now online. This (July 2008) issue provides advance details about September’s Translation Tools workshop, led by Jost Zetzsche, and AATIA’s July 12 member meeting, which will spotlight Austin’s Sister Cities.

It also contains farewells from regular columnist and cartoonist Tony Beckwith and editor Michael Conner, plus a recap of entries posted on the blog in the period since the previous issue of the newsletter.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to use Wordfast, a computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool compatible with Trados and most other CAT tools. Certified Wordfast trainer Paul Makinen will present an all-day workshop designed to cover all the essential features of the program and get people up and running as quickly as possible.

The workshop, on Saturday, July 26th, will be taught in a highly interactive, informal way—something along the lines of a Wordfast “install party,” with attendees following along on their own computers. Workshop participants who sign up in advance (by e-mailing workshop registrar Gisela Greenlee) will have the opportunity to purchase Wordfast at a 25% discount.

Download a flyer and registration form for more information. Space is limited to 12, so don’t delay! Questions? Contact Maurine McLean.

Didn’t make the Business Basics workshop with Ted Wozniak? Read this review by AATIA member Cecilia Berrios and find out what you missed. Berrios is currently employed as a policy analyst for a state agency and has recently launched a second career as a freelance Spanish-English translator.

Wozniak covers the basics: a review by Cecilia Berrios

A great overview of how to operate a translation business was recently addressed at a workshop titled, “Business Basics for Freelancers.” Sponsored by AATIA, the workshop was held on June 14 at the International Center of Austin. As a newcomer to the translation profession, I found the training most helpful. Running a successful translation business takes more than just having expertise in your language pair(s)!

The training was presented by Ted Wozniak, who maintains that operating an effective translation business involves learning how to establish a “business presence,” advertising, finding work, getting paid, keeping tax records, bookkeeping, among other useful topics.

Other comments from workshop participants:

"Very useful!"

"Everything was important to know or to review."

"I am a beginner and found it to be very useful."

"Very reasonable price for the content, quality and presentation style."

AATIA will offer two more great workshops in the coming months: Wordfast training with Paul Makinen on July 26th and Translation Tools with Jost Zetzsche on September 6th. Watch this space for details!

The City of Austin will host a Small & Minority Business Resources “Certification 101 Workshop” on Wednesday, July 9th, 5:30–7:30 p.m., at 625 E. 10th Street, Room 105.

• Find out more about the requirements and benefits of obtaining your Minority-Owned Business Enterprise and/or Women-Owned Business Enterprise Certification (MBE/WBE) through the City of Austin Procurement Program.
• Learn about Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification
• Work with the City’s Vendor Registration Department to add or update your information on the Vendor Registration System.

“In addition to becoming certified for City minority and women-owned business procurement opportunities, Small & Minority Business Resources can help businesses with certification as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, used in federal transportation and aviation projects, as well as the Historically Underutilized Business Program, which encompasses the state of Texas procurement opportunities,” said SMBR Director Stephen Elkins.

RSVP to Blender Hill at 512.974.7677.

Living legend Margaret Sayers Peden—she’s published over fifty books by such leading Latin American writers as Isabel Allende, Laura Esquivel, Carlos Fuentes, Pablo Neruda, and Octavio Paz—will be teaching two classes in literary translation on Saturday, July 12, in San Antonio. through Gemini Ink, an astonishing opportunity for Austinites. Run don’t walk to sign up.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to improve the business side of your T&I business. Sign up for Business Basics for Freelancers. Both old hands and newcomers to the profession will benefit from this workshop, which will cover basic bookkeeping and record-keeping requirements, ensuring payment, tax and financial planning, and more.

Download a registration form and register today!

Students enrolled in the ACC Translation and Interpreting Program attend for half price! Contact Laura Vlasman for more information.

If you’ve been dragging your feet about registering for the Business Basics for Freelancers workshop, stop! The registration deadline, June 10th, is fast approaching, and if we don’t get enough registrations by then to cover our costs, we’ll have to cancel, which would be a real shame because this promises to be a first-rate workshop.

Download the flyer and read all about it. Then download the registration form and send it in. Participants who register by the end of this week (June 7th) will be eligible to win one of three great door prizes: a copy of Corinne McKay’s book How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator or one of two annual subscriptions to presenter Ted Wozniak’s Payment Practices website.

Questions? Contact Laura Vlasman.