Industry vs profession? Defining the translation industry today andtomorrow

Date: Thursday, 22 January 2026

Time: 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.

Place: London Metropolitan University, Holloway Road Campus, 166-220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB (nearest underground station: Holloway Road).

Cost: LRG members – £10.00; non-LRG members - £15.00; London Met students - free; Livestream - £10.00 (lecture only).

The LRG Committee is delighted to welcome Dr Joseph Lambert and Dr Callum Walker to London Metropolitan University to discuss their recently published work – The Routledge Handbook of the Translation Industry, of which they are co-editors. Based on their research findings, the speakers will present the current state and future prospects of the translation industry in what promises to be an event of vital interest to all translators and interpreters working today. The format will be a lecture followed by group discussions. Only the lecture part will be livestreamed.

What does the term ‘translation industry’ mean to you? Attempting to define the translation industry is a challenging, and perhaps even controversial, task. And yet that is precisely what we aim to do in this informal talk, where we invite you to reflect with us on the size, shape, and state of this complex, wide-ranging, and fast-changing area, before exploring challenges and potential opportunities. We begin by unpicking the terminology we use to describe this domain that we all work in – focusing in particular on the provocative ‘industry’ versus ‘profession’ divide. Exploring the meanings and identities associated with these names, their connotations, and the practices and statuses that they signify, we seek to rehabilitate the term ‘industry’, which we feel demonstrates the diversity and strength of this vital sector in all its dimensions and forms.

However, with strength and diversity also comes challenge. We move on to discuss key issues facing professionals today and possible futures of the industry at large, based on the research we carried out with translators across the UK. Topics covered include working conditions, a changing market, and the increasing rise of disruptive tech (such as GenAI) and workflows (such as PEMT). We finish by using these explorations as a springboard for group discussions, which will close the event. Importantly, we want to create a space for professional translators to share how they feel about their work and the general state of affairs, as well as what matters to them (something that we can subsequently build into future research).

Dr Callum Walker is an Associate Professor of Translation Technology and Director of the Centre for Translation, Interpreting and Localisation Studies at the University of Leeds, where he teaches computer-assisted translation technology, project management, translation theory, and specialised translation. Alongside his academic roles, he has worked as a freelance translator since 2009 (French and Russian into English), as well as being a Chartered Linguist, Member of the CIOL, and Member of the ITI. His research interests relate to translation industry studies, with a specific focus on project management (culminating in the Routledge textbook Translation Project Management), micro-, information, and labour economics, and the interaction between technology and translation workflows.

Dr Joseph Lambert is a Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies and Director of the MA Translation Studies at Cardiff University. He teaches widely at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, covering topics including translation technologies, the translation industry, and specialised French-English translation. His research focuses primarily on question of ethics and sustainability in the translation industry, and he has published widely on issues such as pay, status, and translation codes of ethics. He is currently Vice-President of APTIS, has worked as a French-English freelance translator, specialising in sports translation, and regularly collaborates with professional associations.

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