Get started in our new career with the fastest, most practical, and most economic way to learn court interpreting.  With hands on training from industry professionals, you’ll be ready to interpret in various court hearings including trial and examination for discovery.

Our company has a record of graduates who came straight from the classroom and interpreted successfully in trials in the courts.  The reason for these good opportunities is the fact that our company is not only a training center for court interpreters but also an interpreting service agency since 2005.

“The provision of interpreter services is a basic right of anyone who is a party or witness in court proceedings under s. 14 of the Charter, which guarantees the right of an accused to understand the proceedings…..

But fulfilling those rights is difficult because of a shortage of qualified, competent interpreters, especially in the languages of recent waves of immigrants…..”

Source:  “Misrepresentation:  Crisis in Canadian Court Interpreting”, The Lawyers Weekly, Dec. 3, 2010 Issue.

“US Census data and statistics on interpreter use in the United States District Courts document the growth in foreign language speakers and in the need for foreign language court interpreters in the United States.  Research on court interpreter decisions from state and federal courts indicates that non-English speakers are appearing in courts across the country with increasing frequency and that many courts are struggling to cope with a shortage of qualified interpreters  (Davis et. a. 2004:2).

Source:  de Jongh, Elena M.  “From the Classroom to the Courtroom:  A guide to interpreting in the U.S. justice system.”  John Benjamins Publishing Co., Philadelphia, 2012

CURRICULUM

Comprehensive.  Concise.  Practical.  Affordable.  Recognized.

The Aquinas Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreter Training Program™ is an intensive 7-day classroom instruction and practical workshop with analyses of topics.

• Canadian Court System
• Court Hearings
• Court Procedures
• Ethical Principles
• Examination for Discovery
• Interpreting Methods
• Legal Terminology
• Mock Court Trials
• Practical Applications
• The Court Interpreter
• Tour of the Courts
• Job Search

During the course of the training, the student will acquire the fundamentals necessary to conduct successful interpretation in a legal setting.  Along with theory, the student will gain insight into practical considerations and will have a chance to demonstrate working knowledge of the field through role-plays and exercises.

The learning format is a combination of classroom lectures, on-site tours, and mock court trials.  Our program ensures that each student is given personal attention along with individualized feedback and support through each stage of learning.

There will be a comprehensive written test and an oral exam for the student to show his/her acquired knowledge and interpreting skills.  Upon successful completion of the program, the student will receive a Certificate in Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreting or a Certificate of Completion of the Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreter Training Program.  He/she should be able to competently interpret in the courts.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPER/TRAINER

• STIBC Certified Court Interpreter.
• Level 1 Court Interpreter with the BC Courts.
• Experienced in Adult Education and Training.

Teresita Nixon is a court interpreter certified by the Society of Translators and Interpreters of British   Columbia.  She is a Level 1 Court Interpreter in the   Filipino <>English language combination with the BC   Courts.  She has 25 years of interpreting experience and 20 years of adult education & training experience.

Teresita has interpreted in all types of court hearings and legal proceedings.  She is experienced in sight translations, written translations, tape transcriptions & translations during trials and examinations for discovery.  She successfully interpreted for the accused or the witness in high profile murder cases in the BC Supreme Court.

• 1994 – Teresita started providing personal interpreting services in court-judicial-legal settings. 
• 1997 – Aquinas Institute was registered as a sole proprietorship.
• 2005- Aquinas Institute was incorporated under the name of Aquinas Institute Corporation to provide interpreting services in court-judicial-legal settings. 
• 2006- Aquinas Institute started offering the Aquinas Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreter Training™ and has been offering the program to interpreters and to the public until to date. 

With an extensive interpreting experience, Teresita has been the curriculum developer and trainer of the training program from its inception to the present.

In 2016 Teresita founded Aquinas Legal Interpreters Corporation dba Aquinas Legal Interpreters, which took over the interpreting services of Aquinas Institute.

Many Aquinas graduates are now working as contractor court interpreters in the BC Courts.  One graduate works as a Madam Registrar in the New Westminster Court; another graduate works as a Judicial Clerk in the Alberta Courts; and another graduate works as an Interpreter in the Courts of England.

Teresita was a marker of the Ontario Court Interpreting Exams in the Tagalog-English language combination through the Vancouver Community College from 2009 to 2013.  She has continued to be an exam marker through the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO) from 2018 to date.

Moreover, she was a contractor college instructor for eight (8) years in public and private post secondary educational institutions, which included the BC Institute of Technology, City University, Kwantlen College, Sprott-Shaw Community College, Tourism Training Institute, Vancouver Community College, and Vancouver School Board.  She received evaluations with high ratings for her teaching expertise from students.

In the government service, she worked in the Visa Section of the United States Consulate General (Vancouver); the Information Services Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Labour (Toronto);  and the Canada Customs Agency of the Canadian Federal Government (Vancouver International  Airport and Pacific Highway).

In the financial industry, she worked as a loans officer at the Royal Bank (Vancouver) and the Toronto Dominion Bank (Vancouver); temporary account manager at the Bank of Nova Scotia (Yellowknife); and Management Reporting Staff at Citibank (Manila).

Teresita holds a Master of Arts degree in Political Science, major in International Relations and Public Administration, 3.71 out of 4 GPA, from the University of California in Santa Barbara; a Bachelor, Major in Spanish (real title), from the Instituto de Cultura Hispanica (defunct) in Madrid; and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, Magna Cum Laude Honor, from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

One of Teresita’s goals in life is to impart to each student everything that she knows about court interpreting and to help the student become a successful court interpreter.

CERTIFICATION OF THE GRADUATE

Court Interpreter – Certification Process by S.T.I.B.C. only

The Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia has the sole authority to give the designation of “Certified Court Interpreter” to an Aquinas graduate or any person who has passed an examination in his language of proficiency or by the “On Dossier:” process.  The examination is administered and adjudicated on a national basis by CTTIC.  See www.stibc.org.

Getting certified is a process that takes time and requires both an accumulation of work hours and written examinations.  Our first step in this process is to start working and gain experience.

The Court Services Branch of the BC Ministry of Attorney-General, the Court Administration Services of the Canadian Federal Government, the Alberta Provincial Courts, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, and legal firms accept the Aquinas Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreter Training Program™ as a premier preparatory program that consistently produces professional and capable legal interpreters.  Whenever there were no certified court interpreters available, these clients asked if the interpreters we were sending to them were trained by Aquinas.

Our training helps you get working by demonstrating to employers that you are trained and ready to succeed.  Most importantly, you will feel confident and prepared while executing your duties and that confidence will help you obtain certification.

Did you know?

Graduates of the Aquinas Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreter Training Program™ receive a Certificate in Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreting after completing 50 hours of training, the program requirements, and passing the written/oral exams; handouts for course materials; and an income tax deductible receipt.

All graduates must first be admitted as Associate Members of the Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia.  Once they are associate members, they can apply for certification as a translator or interpreter.  Source:  Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia.

DEMAND FOR TRAINED COURT INTERPRETERS

Work for Aquinas Graduates

Aquinas Institute and Aquinas Legal Interpreters do not guarantee work to Aquinas graduates due to the fact that they cannot control if and when a client may request a certain foreign language.  However, graduates are given work priority.  For the year 2019 we pay the high rate of $45.00/hr. with guaranteed minimum 2 hours of pay per half day work assignment and minimum 4 hours of pay per full day work assignment whenever a graduate works for us.  Moreover, the graduate may qualify for travel time at the rate of $45.00/hr. for a minimum of 2 hours; mileage pay at the rate of $0.45 per km. based on www.google.maps; meal allowances; and reimbursements for hotel accommodations, bus fares, taxi fares, ferry fares, and air fares.

As a graduate, you have an opportunity to work for the BC Courts directly based on foreign language demand and other criteria set by the Court Services Branch of the B.C. Ministry of Attorney-General in Victoria, BC.  In 2018 the BC Court Services Branch established a new Court Interpreter Program in which court interpreters are classified in different levels.  Aquinas graduates were put in the Level 3 category with a pay rate of $36.04 per hour.

Additional opportunities include interpreting in courtrooms in other provinces in Canada,  England, United States and your own native country.

Opportunities beyond the courtroom also exist for those who complete our training.  Our graduates can be found working for the Government of Alberta, the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the University of British Columbia, the University of Manitoba, legal firms, social service agencies, community service agencies, interpreting service agencies, private corporations in Canada and abroad.

SUCCESS OF AQUINAS GRADUATES

The Aquinas Graduates – where are they now?

Here are just some of the successes of Aquinas graduates.

A Filipino interpreter graduate was hired as a permanent Madam Registrar at New Westminster Court.

A Burmese/Karen interpreter graduate was hired by a legal firm immediately upon completion of the training.  She moved to Alberta and worked as an interpreter in various provincial courts.  In 2018 she was hired as a Hearing Office Judicial Clerk at the Edmonton Provincial Court.  The Aquinas certificate was accepted by the Edmonton Provincial Court.

A Polish interpreter graduate was hired as a court interpreter in the English Courts in Liverpool, England without interpreting experience in Canada.  The Aquinas certificate was accepted by the English Courts.

A Tamil interpreter graduate was hired as interpreter and translator by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  He was the first graduate to be designated as a certified court interpreter by the Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia.

A Farsi interpreter graduate was the second graduate to be designated as a certified court interpreter by the Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia.

A Jarai interpreter graduate was hired by the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Many graduates are now working as contractor court interpreters with the BC Courts.

Graduates are now working as contractor interpreters with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Graduates are now working as contractor interpreters with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia for its driver licensing exams.

Many graduates are now working as contractor interpreters with various interpreting agencies.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The student should meet specific criteria.

• Native speaker of one foreign language.
• Read, write and speak English fluently.
• University degree or high school diploma.
• Good listening skills.
• Good reading comprehension skills.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• High ethical standards.
• Independent and team player.
• Positive attitude.

CLASS INFO AND SCHEDULES

Your new career is one step away.

Class:   Held on demand by the student/s.

Time:   9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily for 7 days with one hour lunch break.

Place:  Conference Room, 938 Howe St. Van. BC (small group)

Place:  People’s Law School, 900 Howe St. Van. BC (big group)

REGISTRATION AND TUITION FEES

Tuition Fees:

CDN $2,500.00 per student for 50 hours of training

CDN $1,750.00 per student for 35 hours of training.

• Registration must accompany full payment.
• Deadline for registration is one week before the class.
• Tuition fees are payable with credit card or cash only.
• Tuition fees paid are tax deductible for education.
• Talk to a WorkBC counsellor to find out if WorkBC can sponsor you for this training program.

WHO WE ARE

Aquinas Mission Statement

Aquinas Institute Corporation dba Aquinas Institute is a duly registered company that is anchored on the principles of faith, knowledge and charity.  It was incorporated on September 9, 2005 with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs of the Province of British Columbia, Canada.  

Our mission statement:

• To help people.
• To provide quality service to our clients.
• To give integrity, dignity and professionalism to the people working with us in the hope that they would be happy, they would provide quality service to our clients, and they would pass this happiness to their families.
• To share our resources with the needy around the world.

In 2006 Aquinas Institute started offering the Aquinas Court-Judicial-Legal Interpreter Training™  to court interpreters and to the public.  Over the years, the training program has been improved from a one-day training to a 7-day training.   With the successes of its graduates, Aquinas Institute has been well known for its training trademark.  Until 2012 only the Vancouver Community College and Aquinas Institute offered training programs for court interpreters.  The VCC ceased its court interpreting program in 2012 while Aquinas Institute remained to be a leading  training centre for court interpreters in the Province of British Columbia.

We are committed to the pursuit of excellence in adult education and training services.

We are committed to providing quality, comprehensive, concise, practical and affordable training to people of diverse cultures.

We are committed to providing quality, accurate, confidential, punctual, ethical and professional interpretation and translation services.

Aquinas Institute is an equal opportunity employer.  We do not discriminate on the bases of race, national/ethnic origin, color, religion, language, sex, beauty, disability nor economic background.  We welcome Indian natives and visible minorities to be part of our company.

We have given work to professionals, religious ministers, university graduates, college students, high school graduates, the retired, new immigrants, the unemployed and those on social assistance.

Aquinas Institute is charity driven.  We are committed to share the company’s acquired resources with local, national and international charities.  Aquinas Institute has given out university scholarship grants and charitable donations around the world.

CONTACT US TODAY!

Aquinas Institute

205 – 938 Howe Street

Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 1N9 Canada

Tel:  (604) 868-2354

Tel:  (604) 940-7006

Email:  info@aquinasinstitute.ca

Websites:

https://www.aquinasinstitute.ca

https://www.aquinaslegalinterpreters.ca

https://www.courtinterpretertraining.ca

https://www.interpretersandtranslators.ca