In this era, where the advent of ChatGPT has blurred the very definition of "what is a translator's job?", it's irresponsible to encourage those who aren't translators yet to become professional industry translators or freelance industry translators.
I recall an event over a decade ago, when the late Mr. Yoichi Yamaoka, then a leading non-fiction translator in Japan, told a crowd of translators and publishers:
"Those of you aspiring to translation in publishing, if you currently have a job, please abandon thoughts of quitting."
At that time, I had already published several translated books and thought I had a good understanding of how little it paid. "Exactly!" I thought, admiring that only someone like Mr. Yamaoka could bravely make such a statement in front of a crowd, which boosted my respect for him.
However, until recently, I believed that "industry translation" could still pay the bills.
The demand for industry translation will not wane. The question remains, though, who will fulfill this role, and what parts of the translation process—from original text to finished translation—will be handled by humans?
It's perfectly fine for those already struggling in this industry to brainstorm, make trials and errors, share insights and discuss new strategies to survive (I'm doing that too). But we mustn't involve inexperienced young people in this struggle.
In a few years, a new image of a translator may emerge, possibly becoming a "dream job you can aim for." We can wait until then to extend invitations.
Just to be clear, I recognize that the fact I've been able to make a living in this industry for the past 20 years is largely due to the times and luck, despite my own strenuous efforts.
