Career Summary

Lauren is a passionate language enthusiast, translator, and project coordinator currently working as a Translation Account and Project Coordinator at ONCALL Language Services. A graduate of Monash University, where she studied Korean and Japanese, Lauren’s love of languages, reading, and culture led her to pursue a Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies. Her career journey has spanned teaching, translation, and language services, with her internship at ONCALL helping her discover a passion for project management and client coordination. Combining her language expertise with strong organisational and communication skills, Lauren now manages diverse translation projects and works closely with clients and translators across a range of industries.

Career Pathway:

Present - Translations Account and Project Coordinator, ONCALL Language Services

2025 - Customer Service Officer, ONCALL Language Services

2024 - Translations Intern, ONCALL Language Services

2023 - Indigenous Academic Enhancement Program Tutor, Monash University

2023 - Korean Studies Teaching Assistant, Monash University

2021 - Korean Studies Teaching Assistant, Monash University
2019 - Sales Associate, EB Games Australia

2017 - Guest Experience Associate, Village Roadshow

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Career Journey questions:

What led you to study Arts at Monash, and later pursue a Master’s in Interpreting and Translation?

I was always really interested in languages. I studied Mandarin in primary school, which gave me a foundation in Chinese characters, and from there I started self-studying Japanese. Later I learned Korean and French in high school. I always knew I wanted to do something involving languages, so I chose to formally study Japanese and Korean.

Monash became the obvious choice pretty early on because it was one of the few universities in Australia that offered Korean, which was one of the main things I wanted to study. Monash also offered double degrees, so I initially started with a double degree in Arts and IT.

When I was looking at postgraduate study, the Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies at Monash was definitely the best fit. One of the biggest advantages was its flexibility, particularly the mid-year entry option.

While studying in Korea, I found myself doing a lot of self-translation, reading research on translation and becoming increasingly interested in the field. I wanted to build on my language skills while they were still fresh, and that's when I realised translation was the career path I wanted to pursue.

How did you become interested in translation and language services?

I think it combines my two greatest interests: language and reading. I've always been passionate about languages and culture, and I've always loved reading and writing. Because I was studying languages, I naturally started doing a lot of translation as part of my own learning. It became one of my favourite ways to study. I'd read a book and translate passages into Korean, or watch movies with both Korean and English subtitles and compare how I would translate different lines.

One of my biggest strengths became reading and interpreting text, largely because I read so many Korean webtoons. I'd read the Korean version first, then compare it with the official English translation when it was released, analysing the translators' word choices and different ways they approached the same text. That process really helped develop my translation skills and confirmed that it was something I genuinely enjoyed.

I first joined ONCALL Language Services as a translation intern through the Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies internship unit. ONCALL was the company I was most interested in after one of their staff members presented a translation seminar at Monash. I reached out to her on LinkedIn, attended a translation industry networking event she invited me to, and shortly afterwards completed my internship there. Another Monash student in my cohort also interned at ONCALL, and we're both now working there full-time.

What does your current role involve on a day-to-day basis?

I currently have a dual role as a Translation Account and Project Coordinator at ONCALL.

On the account management side, I work directly with clients by responding to translation requests, preparing quotes and helping determine the best approach for each project. On the project coordination side, I manage ongoing translation projects and work closely with our translators to find the right person for each job and support them throughout the process.

Project management is probably my favourite part of the role. It feels a bit like solving a puzzle. We also carry out quality assurance by comparing the translated document with the source, checking formatting, identifying typos and ensuring everything is accurate.

When I'm managing Korean projects, I can be more actively involved by reviewing translations, offering suggestions and working collaboratively with translators.

We work with a wide variety of clients, including government agencies, hospitals and local councils, so every day is different. We might be translating medical reports, legal documents, personal documents or children's books, or working on localisation, dubbing and subtitling projects.

How do technology and AI tools impact the work of translators today?

There are both technological and ethical considerations when it comes to AI in translation.

Technology has been part of the translation industry for a long time. Even before generative AI became widely available, translators were using computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools. We learned how to use them from our very first unit in the Master's program. These tools store previously translated content and help improve consistency and efficiency across projects.

While AI has certainly changed parts of the industry, I don't think it's replaced translators to the extent many people expected. Human expertise is still essential, particularly in areas such as literary translation, marketing and localisation, where content needs to feel natural and culturally appropriate for a specific audience.

Most of the projects we work on are still completed by human translators. Occasionally, clients ask us to review machine translations or post-edit AI-generated content for large or urgent projects. However, any document requiring NAATI certification must be translated by a human translator.

Ethics are also incredibly important. Translators often work with confidential information such as legal documents, court transcripts and patient health records. That's why it's essential to understand how AI works, when it can be used appropriately, and when it shouldn't be used at all.

Were there any university experiences that helped prepare you for this field (e.g. participation in translation projects or internships)? 

The Master's program prepared us well for the realities of working as a translator, particularly when it came to meeting deadlines. We completed a translation every week alongside our other coursework, which helped us develop the discipline and consistency needed in the industry. There was also a strong emphasis on practice. Korean was a very small stream with only two students in my cohort, so we worked closely with our tutor to compare translations, discuss different word choices and learn from each other's approaches.

The program also offered opportunities to contribute to real translation projects through our Work Integrated Learning hours. One of the biggest advantages for me was that I'd already completed my undergraduate degree at Monash, so I had built strong relationships with the Korean Studies staff. Those connections led to opportunities to work as a teaching associate and contribute to translation projects.

One of the highlights was leading the translation project with Changwon National Museum in 2023 to translate the books Her Story and Stories about Korean Immigration to Hawaii. It gave me valuable real-world experience in both translation and project management, and ultimately helped prepare me for my current role.

What advice would you give to students interested in pursuing a career in translation or interpreting?

I'd recommend getting to know your language department and the staff. They'll often know about projects, internships and other opportunities, and they're always happy to help students get involved.

One of the most important things is figuring out what kind of work you want to do because translation and interpreting are both incredibly broad fields. The Master's program exposes you to different areas, which gives you a chance to discover what interests you most.

It's also worth thinking about where you want to work. If you want to complete certified translations in Australia, you'll need NAATI certification. If you're hoping to work overseas or specialise in areas like Korean literary translation, your pathway may look a little different.

Upskilling is also really important. Technology is constantly changing, so being willing to learn and adapt will always benefit you.

If you have the opportunity, I'd highly recommend doing an internship. I originally thought I'd become a freelance translator, but my internship showed me that I really enjoyed project management and working for a language service provider. It also helped me build valuable professional connections.

Finally, be patient. One thing that really stands out in the industry is reliability. If you consistently produce high-quality work, communicate well and meet your deadlines, people will remember you and continue coming back. You don't necessarily need a huge portfolio. Making a strong impression on just one project can go a long way.