At LG Energy Solution Wrocław we’ve just wrapped up the anniversary, 10th edition of our corporate translation/interpreting internship program for students studying the Korean language. This edition included 4 interns – 3 from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and 1 from the University of Wrocław. Over the course of 6 years the program has undergone a huge transformation, and today it’s a demanding, expert-level experience that opens the door to working as a translator/interpreter in an international corporation.
From large groups to an expert program
When the first edition of the internship launched in 2020, 36 people took part. Over time the format evolved from widely accessible workshops toward a much more demanding, expert-level program that prepares interns to interpret at real business meetings. Today the recruitment process is very rigorous, and – as the coordinators point out – there’s still no shortage of candidates.
"Over the course of our internship's history, across 10 editions, we've significantly changed the format. In the beginning the groups were large and we spent most of our time on the 'shop floor,' that is, on the production lines, helping to interpret technical details. That's also what the translation team's day-to-day work at our company looked like back then. Today the scope of a translator's/interpreter's duties is much broader – we have quite a few meetings in conference rooms, with management, there are sometimes off-site meetings too, including at the administrative level, during official events or visits."
Three intensive weeks
This year’s edition of the program ran for three weeks – from July 6 to July 24. The interns began with onboarding and the necessary training, after which they took part in line tours – walkthroughs of the production lines, during which they learned about the stages of the electric vehicle battery manufacturing process. The following days were devoted to taking part in real meetings within the company.
A new feature of recent editions is the so-called “meeting simulation” – a simulated business meeting led by mentors for the whole group of interns. During these sessions, the specific vocabulary used in meetings is discussed, along with technical issues, knowledge of which is key to accurate and detailed interpreting.
"Interns of course acquire new language skills, but just as importantly, they also learn flexibility and how to quickly apply their diverse knowledge in practice, in an agile way."
Each of the interns – just like the translators/interpreters who work at LG Energy Solution Wrocław on a daily basis – was assigned to a specific production process, which allowed her to get to know the vocabulary and specifics of that area as well as possible. In carrying out their daily tasks and finding their footing in such a large and diverse area, the interns were supported by…
Translator-mentors
Mentorship is at the heart of the program. Each participant has such a person by her side throughout the internship. The mentors are experienced translators/interpreters who, in their daily work, manage the meeting calendar for a given production process and introduce the interns to the company’s organizational culture and industry vocabulary.
It’s worth noting that among the program’s former interns are also people who now work at LG Energy Solution Wrocław as translators/interpreters – such as Małgorzata Prokop, one of the program’s coordinators.
"Our goal is to show what a translator's/interpreter's work looks like, and to familiarize young trainees with translation/interpreting work that is often done on an ad hoc basis. A few years ago I was in exactly this position, doing my internship at LG. It will soon be 3 years since I started working as a translator/interpreter."
What sets the internship at LG Energy Solution Wrocław apart?
As Agnieszka Szamborska, manager of the translation team, points out, the program’s uniqueness stems from the structure of the translation department itself.
“What really sets us apart from other companies is the fact that the entire team is dedicated to translation/interpreting tasks – that’s mainly what we do. That’s exactly the message we wanted to get across to students from various universities at the very beginning of our internship program’s history. It looks like we’ve managed to achieve that goal.” – Agnieszka Szamborska, Manager of the Translation Team at LG Energy Solution Wrocław
"The internship is also valuable because it gives young people very valuable first-job experience. It's also a chance to check whether interpreting is something they see themselves doing."
How did the participants rate the program?
Feedback after the anniversary edition was entirely positive – participants rated the program highly in the internship’s closing survey. Above all, they appreciated the chance to see office work from the inside while still studying, the wealth of practical knowledge they gained – including in the Korean language – and the ability to stay in touch with their internship supervisors and ask questions even after the program ended. At the same time, participants noted how intense the program was and how much information there was to absorb in just three weeks.
"Our interns appreciated the opportunity to interpret or translate independently at work, as well as the fast, constructive feedback they received after completing a task."
What's next? The internship as a bridge to a career
For LG Energy Solution Wrocław, the translation internship program is more than a one-off event – it strengthens relationships with university partners and builds a long-term pool of language talent.
“Based on the 10th edition of the internship, we’ve built a pool of people with excellent Korean language skills. We draw on these contacts when looking for people to hire – both for the translation department and for other departments at our company that are looking for people with specific language skills.” – Agnieszka Szamborska, Manager of the Translation Team at LG Energy Solution Wrocław
"From the company's perspective, a student who already has some first professional experience under their belt – having observed work in the office, at cross-team meetings, or on the production lines – and who, on top of that, has had the chance to put their language skills to the test against the everyday tasks of a translator/interpreter, is a really valuable candidate in the recruitment process, and later, as we've observed, a well-informed employee."
Ten editions, hundreds of interns, and a still-growing group of people who, after their internship at LG Energy Solution Wrocław, have tied their professional future to the company – that’s the balance sheet of 6 years of a program that keeps evolving. We warmly thank all the participants of this anniversary edition and our academic partners for their cooperation, and we’re already getting ready for the next editions of the internship program.
