Testimonials CALM

Ellen De Geyndt - CALM 2016-2017 & Master of Arts in Translation, UGent

“While I was doing my Master in Translation (English and Spanish), I felt like I needed something else to find a job I could see myself doing “for the rest of my life”. I liked translating, but I wanted something extra, but did not know what it was.

When I heard about CALM, I immediately knew it was what I needed: a combination between linguistic and communication skills and technology.

The wide range of courses allowed me to figure out what I liked and what I was good at, which then brought me to my internship as Language Engineer at Hello Customer. During those three months, I had the chance to learn a lot, both about programming and about the workings of a company. On top of that, Hello Customer offered me a job which allowed me to grow even more in the world of Natural Language Processing. I recently switched positions within Hello Customer and I now combine communication skills with technical knowledge. I still use Python code every now and then and even my HTML and web knowledge come in handy when I’m trying to solve a problem for one of our customers.”

Nina Bauwelinck - CALM 2017-2018 & Master of Arts in Linguistics and Literature, UGent

“After obtaining my Master degree in English and Spanish Linguistics and Literature, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my degree. I was one of many graduates who felt they wanted to continue doing ‘something language-related’, without really knowing exactly what this would entail. The academic advisor for my faculty told me about the postgraduate program CALM.

Its focus lies in the practical acquisition of technical skills, giving the students an extensive view of the possibilities in the language industry. In choosing CALM, you are signing up for a year full of exciting projects.

Thanks to CALM, I learnt a lot about topics I still didn’t know anything about when I graduated: what machine translation is and how it works, what a digital marketing strategy entails, how to go about finishing a project in the most efficient way, etc. This program is also interesting for graduates in Linguistics and Literature, because it allows you the opportunity to test out some of the courses from the department of Applied Language Studies, for example Audio-visual Language Techniques (subtitling and audio description). The course of Translation Technology and Terminology allowed me to become acquainted with the essential tools of the translator. Knowledge of this technology is crucial for any job profile in the translation sector, even if you don’t plan on becoming a translator yourself.

You can choose your courses as a reflection of your own interests and career ambitions. For example, if you have an interest in graphical design, you should definitely take Desktop Publishing. All of the courses in this program complement each other, which is why the combination of, for example, Desktop Publishing with courses like Advanced Website Management and Digital Communication Management will give you a big advantage when applying for jobs later on.

The internship experience you will have is another advantage of CALM. I got a chance to work on a machine translation project at Agfa HealthCare in Ghent for three months. This is the ideal opportunity to work with what you learnt in the courses you found most intriguing.”

 Sarah Torfs - CALM 2016-2017 & Master of Arts in Translation , KU Leuven

“Thanks to CALM I was introduced to a number of relevant aspects of the translation industry, which allowed me to start my job search full of confidence.

I quickly found a full time job as a project manager in a translation company, where I apply my CALM knowledge on a daily basis. Apart from managing translation projects,

I often assist with DTP work in PowerPoint and InDesign and I share my knowledge of CAT tools with my colleagues. Additionally, I often notice that my insight in programming and mark-up languages and regular expressions helps me to solve various problems.”

Serafina Van Geertruyen - CALM 2021-2022 & Master of Arts in Linguistics and Literature, UGent

During my studies in Linguistics and Literature, every mention of language technology sparked a surge of curiosity. After searching for programmes that could help me gain a better understanding of this field, I eventually applied to the CALM postgraduate programme, a decision that changed my life significantly. As the programme is specifically aimed at honing the technical skills of people with a background in language, it has reshaped the course of my professional and academic career as a linguist.

The flexibility of the programme allowed me to place a strong focus on the aspects of language technology that complement my own ambitions, which I found to have a very motivating effect.

The fact that the programme includes a markedly long internship period also added a lot of value for me personally, as my master’s degree did not include one. Not only did this first real-life experience help to boost my resume and meet new interesting people in the field, it also enabled me to immediately put the skills I acquired during the courses into practice.

Sofie Vandenhooven - CALM 2016-2017 & Master of Arts in Interpreting, UGent

 “As an interpretation graduate, a more computer-centered study would not be your typical route towards the work-field.

However, an unfulfilled interest in technology and computers guided me towards CALM, where I could cultivate and grow some extra computer-related skills which have certainly made me an interesting profile in the workfield.

I just ended my first year at TomTom Voice Maps and I am thrilled I can still use many of the skills learnt during CALM. I am, among others, still writing HTML for our newsletter, but mostly did my data-science internship and interest in coding lead to a 'revolution' in our team. My coding knowledge as a linguist has created the opportunity for other linguists in our team to stroll on the path of Python scripting. I never expected to have a job which would include both programming and linguistic work, but yet, here I am. Keep CALM and you can achieve anything!”