Aging Workforce Concerns

A major issue is that many experienced interpreters are approaching retirement age.

A 2025 Michigan Interpreter Needs Assessment found:

• 67.8% of interpreters had 10+ years of experience
• 1 in 3 interpreters were over age 51
• Nearly 1 in 4 interpreters planned to leave the field within 10 years. (Michigan.gov)

This means:

• experienced interpreters are leaving faster than new interpreters are entering,
• specialized interpreting skills may be lost,
• and mentorship pipelines are shrinking.