Beiyu Shen is a Monash Arts alumna whose work brings together language, culture and communication. As the Translation Manager at The LOTE Agency, she supports organisations to communicate effectively with diverse communities, drawing on the skills she developed throughout her studies. Her interest in Japanese during high school led her to pursue both the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies, where she built the intercultural and linguistic knowledge that now shapes her career.

Career Pathway

• 2025 to present Translation Manager, The LOTE Agency
• 2024 to 2025 Intercultural Communications Specialist, The LOTE Agency
• 2022 to 2024 Project Support Officer, The LOTE Agency
• 2022 (July-October) Translation Intern, The LOTE Agency
• 2021 to 2022 Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies, Monash University
• 2019 to 2022  Volunteer, Save the Children
• 2018 to 2020 Bachelor of Arts (Japanese Studies), Monash University

1. What first drew you to study Japanese and pursue both the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies at Monash?

I really enjoyed studying Japanese during high school, VCE, so I chose to continue it with the Japanese major at Monash Arts in the Bachelor of Arts. The units gave me a broader understanding of Japanese culture, and I found the insights and discussion on similarities and differences about cultural and communication norms really interesting

Then my interest in translation and intercultural exchange in general started with my hobby of reading translated manga, which deals greatly with transferring cultural nuance, and that interest led me to continue with the language focus into the MITS, which led to my internship with The LOTE Agency and ultimately my current role.

2. How did your internship and practical experiences shape your skills and support your transition into the workforce?

For my Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies, doing the internship was very valuable. It let me see how the theoretical knowledge or concepts that you only see in readings can be applied in real‑world scenarios. I could also interact with the wider processes and dynamics involved in the background of what goes into a translation project. It’s easy to say ‘have effective communication,’ but there are layers to effective communication in real life. For example, someone might prefer very direct and straightforward communication while another prefers somewhat indirect and polite tones, or someone prefers phone calls while another prefers emails, so we need to navigate everyone’s communication preference while getting our work done.

3. What skills or knowledge from your degrees do you find yourself using most in your current role?

During my studies at Monash, we had to be very proactive in clear communication to complete our group assignments, and I find that’s still very relevant today with flexible work arrangements. I have to rely on virtual communication to talk to colleagues who are not located in Melbourne, or when I’m working from home. I think that effective communication is a skill that I really developed at Monash and continue to work on as I grow in the work environment.

4. What do you enjoy most about your work?

I enjoy the fact that I’m still working in an industry that’s connected to the field I studied, even though I didn’t continue to become a translator. I’m still in the translation and interpreting field and engage with the discussions happening in the industry.” I enjoy using my expertise in cultural insights to contribute to inclusive communication projects and topics, such as water safety or emergency evacuation information. It makes my day‑to‑day work quite meaningful.

5. From your perspective, why is translation and interpreting such an important field today?

Many people might think that AI will take over the translation field, but I still find that human involvement has become all the more important with AI being around. The arts and humanities ask for people to think critically and introspectively. When so many are turning to AI for quick answers, those answers are based on existing knowledge, but it still takes human thinking to produce new knowledge.

6. What are some of your highlight accomplishments to date?

Most memorably, in 2024, I presented for the first time in a co-presentation at the AUSIT (Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators) National Conference on the best practices and case studies of Community Testing – exploring the development and benefits of having community reviewers to provide feedback on translations from a resonance and usability perspective, which is also another way we recognise the importance of human input in the work we do today. I still am deathly afraid of public speaking, so that was a big step for me.

My accomplishments would also not be possible without the great team support and culture at LOTE. At the end of 2025, I was voted ‘LOTE GOAT’ (greatest of all time), LOTE’s award for recognising great work & teamwork among the company. This accolade was accompanied by a little golden goat statue and was engraved. I’m very grateful to have received this support from my colleagues, who are all their own GOATs, so being able to work with this team is a highlight in itself.

7. Would you recommend the Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies?

Yes, absolutely. Whether the eventual pathway is into a practitioner or more widely in the industry, the Masters of Interpreting and Translation Studies provides valuable theoretical and practical knowledge, such as some basic subtitling skills, which is very transferable and can be developed further in the multimedia industry.

With any degree in Monash Arts, I find units that cover multicultural collaboration and intercultural leadership really gave me some early insights to the projects I currently work on, with discussions on the very same topics.

8. What advice would you give to current students and recent graduates?

Academically, be open to different options. You often only discover new career paths once you start doing things or getting involved, even if they’re different from what you first intended. Don’t feel like you have to fit perfectly into a job description. Think about your transferable experiences from both study and extracurriculars. When I applied for the internship at The LOTE Agency, it wasn’t just my translation experience that made my supervisor notice my CV, but also my volunteering experience.

And also go travelling. I love noticing how different countries have their own social norms and conventions for things we assume would be the same, it’s the best way to learn and experience.