Measurement Scale Development And A Survey On The Career Expectations Of MTI Students

With the increase in the number of Master of Translation and Interpreting(MTI)teaching sites and the expansion of MTI students,the employment of MTI students,which reveals the outcome of MTI education,has gained greater attention.However,studies on MTI students’ employment are relatively insufficient,especially on their career expectations and preferences—the intrinsic motivations and important influencing factors for making career choices,representing a research gap in studies of MTI students and occupations.In this context,this study focuses on MTI students,refers to career expectation studies from the perspective of psychology,and adopts mixed research methods to construct a measurement scale for the examination of their career expectations.On top of the results collected through the scale,this study discusses the status of MTI students’ career expectations and explores the relationships between career expectations and students’demographic characteristics.First,by mixed methods of document analysis,interviews,expert evaluations,and questionnaires,this study collects and purifies the items for measuring MTI students’career expectations.After the scale purification and the reliability and validity assessment,a 33-item measurement scale is developed.These items are classified into four categories:extrinsic values,intrinsic values,prestige and status values,and translation/interpreting related values.The study then administers a questionnaire built on the scale nationwide,collecting 381 valid responses which are analyzed through descriptive statistics and t-tests to investigate the research questions.The study finds that MTI students tend to prefer careers that bring extrinsic rewards such as salary,fame,and career stability.They also expect to pursue personal improvements and high visibility in the workplace,but may not choose a career out of a sense of responsibility and dedication to their country.MTI students also have clear perceptions of their disadvantages in industry knowledge and technical proficiency in the job market,which is consistent with market feedback.Furthermore,the study finds that MTI students present mixed feelings towards their professional field.On the one hand,they show a low level of professional loyalty,derived from their low expectations of taking translation/interpreting-related work.On the other hand,they have high expectations of translation/interpreting-related work contents and are willing to improve their professional skills and try newly-rising translation forms at work.MTI students’ career expectations are also reported to have significant relationships with university level,accreditation status,and translation/interpreting experience.Finally,the study refers to previous research and conducts a deep analysis of the possible reasons for the above findings,providing implications for MTI teaching,research,students’ employment,and the language service market.In theory,this study is expected to enrich the research on translation/interpreting occupations and construct a reliable and valid scale for career expectations specific to MTI students,filling the research gap in this respect.In methodology,this study provides a methodological reference for career expectation studies in other fields.In practice,this study can help language service providers to understand students’ career expectations and improve the employment environment accordingly.Meanwhile,the study may help students to set up reasonable career expectations,serving as a foundation for career outlook education for MTI students,curriculum design,and employment-related policy making.