Quality and Quantity: More Consultants, Better Trained

The making of a consultant is the practicum, as a trainee repeatedly hones her consulting facilitation skills under wise mentorship. However, confident, competent mentor consultants are not always available.

A doctoral research project focused on practicum cohort mentoring for translation consultant trainees has recently concluded. The goal: to increase access to practical mentoring by equipping mentors to triple their mentoring output, without tripling their mentoring effort. In September 2021, 24 international participants (grouped into 6 cohorts, each with 1 mentor and 3 mentees) were trained in a new model of cohort mentoring. From October 2021 to September 2022, the cohorts tested the model in 6 active translation projects.

The resulting data has been analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Mentees completed a self-assessment (using the CBC translation competency list) before and after the year of field testing to evaluate growth. Additionally, mentors and mentees were invited to reflect on the model, and their own learnings, through interviews and questionnaires. In summary, the research shows that the model can produce more consultants who are better trained.