SOCIAL/NETWORKING
Arabic–English interpreter Lama Al-Akhras is based in Sydney. She has been an AUSIT member since 2015 (on and off), and recently attended one of the monthly social gatherings that the NSW Branch has been hosting since early 2025.
I had never realised how important professional social contact was …
I attended my first AUSIT social gathering in Bankstown in November 2025, and it proved to be a refreshing and important experience for me.
Since I began working from home in 2019, I’d rarely met other interpreters in person, and barely knew anyone in the profession outside my immediate networks. Remote work can feel quite isolating, so meeting colleagues face to face offered a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences, share stories and laughs, and learn from one another. That sense of social connection with like-minded professionals has been incredibly important for my mental health, and has given me the boost I needed to continue my work with renewed motivation.
During that meeting, I also connected with an international AUSIT member whose warm, dynamic personality made her immediately approachable. She willingly shared her knowledge about LinkedIn to help me improve my professional profile, which directly led to new job opportunities. We have stayed in touch, and a couple of weeks later we met again for dinner, over which we exchanged a wide range of professional and personal experiences – altogether, this has proved an enriching and uplifting connection.
I witnessed another moment at that social gathering that highlights the value of such gatherings. A colleague who interprets for a minority language community met another interpreter from the same background who had recently arrived in Australia and had limited access to work. They exchanged numbers, and my colleague later referred the newly arrived practitioner to several interpreting agencies. Witnessing that sense of support and community reinforced how essential these events are for professional solidarity and growth.
… a long-held dream of mine … began to take shape unexpectedly.
I had never realised how important professional social contact was until this meeting. Since then, I have continued to engage, including attending the AUSIT National Conference in Canberra, where I met many more professionals and received three new work opportunities.
Most significantly, a long-held dream of mine – to become a conference interpreter – began to take shape unexpectedly. In a casual conversation, I mentioned my strong interest in conference interpreting to a practising conference interpreter who is also a university professor. She immediately introduced me to the academic responsible for enrolments, and I submitted my application two weeks later. I am now enrolled and will commence the course in March 2026 – just before this article is published. It feels as though a dream I have nurtured for many years has finally materialised.
I have learned firsthand that professional connections are essential for both career development and ongoing skill growth. For these reasons, I firmly believe AUSIT social meetings are of significant professional – as well as personal – value, and fully deserving of the PD points that attendees can claim.
The Victoria and NSW Branches both currently hold monthly social/networking events, so if you’re in Melbourne or Sydney and haven’t attended one yet, why not try to get along to the next one? – you can find dates and times on the Events calendar on the AUSIT website, or the carousel on the homepage. And if you’re based in another area that has many T&I practitioners, do consider volunteering to help organise regular get-togethers. The Victoria and NSW Branches are happy to answer any questions you have about how to do so, you can contact them here: NSW Branch / VIC Branch
Syrian-born Arabic–English interpreter Lama Al-Akhras holds a BA in commerce and economics from the University of Damascus. With a lifelong love of languages inspired by her multilingual father, a scholarship to study in France led to an experience she describes as transformative. Upon returning to Syria Lama embarked on a career in interpreting; since migrating to Australia in 2000 she has combined further study, training and hands-on experience to achieve NAATI Certified Interpreter status, and in 2024 was awarded a scholarship to study legal interpreting at Monash University. Graduating with High Distinction in 2025, she is now awaiting the results of her NAATI Legal Interpreting certification exam. Lama sees interpreting as more than a profession – for her it is a calling. She is dedicated to access and equity, and has also learned some Auslan.
