MAJALAH ILMIAH JOURNAL
LPPM Universitas Putra Indonesia YPTK Padang Lubuk Begalung Highway.
Padang.
Sumatera Barat.
Indonesia.
Pos Code: 25221 Volume: 32.
Issue: 2.
Page: 173 - 181, 28/12/2025, e-ISSN: 1412-5854 Enhanching Profession Mandarin Translation Competence For Employees in Multinational Work Environments Sheyra Silvia Siregar1.
Nur Hanifah Insani2 Pendidikan Bahasa Mandarin.
Universitas Negeri Semarang.
Semarang, 50229.
Indonesia Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Jawa.
Universitas Negeri Semarang.
Semarang, 50229.
Indonesia sheyra89@mail.
Abstract ASEAN Economic Community era has intensified multilingual business communication, particularly the use of Mandarin in multinational companies.
This condition highlights the importance of professional MandarinAe Indonesian translation competence for local employees.
However, limitations in professional translation skills are still evident, especially in mastering technical terminology and applying contextual translation strategies relevant to workplace demands.
This community service program aimed to strengthen profession-oriented Mandarin translation competence among employees of PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia in Kendal Regency.
Central Java.
The implementation methods included workshop-based training, hands-on practice in translating professional documents and guided practice on translation techniques and strategies, particularly technical terms in chemistry and company administration.
Evaluation was conducted through participant questionnaires and translation performance assessment.
The results indicated improvements in participantsAo understanding of contextual translation techniques, accuracy in term selection, terminology consistency, and confidence in bilingual workplace Literal translation errors and meaning mismatches decreased after the training sessions.
These findings demonstrate that practice-based training is effective in enhancing professional translation competence and is essential for preparing local human resources to meet the demands of global business communication.
Majalah Ilmiah Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.
0 International License.
Introduction The increasing presence of Chinese multinational companies in Indonesia has significantly intensified the demand for Mandarin language professionals, particularly translators and interpreters in industrial and corporate environments.
international business contexts, translation is not merely a linguistic transfer but a professional practice that ensures accuracy, clarity, and reliability of crosslanguage communication.
Effective translation contributes directly to organizational performance, supports knowledge exchange and minimizes the risk of misinterpretation in professional settings.
This situation is evident in PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia, a Chinese-affiliated energy company in Central Java, where Mandarin and English function as primary working languages between expatriate and local employees.
Although bilingual communication occurs daily, professional interaction has not always been optimal.
Differences in linguistic structure and limited professional translation competence among local staff create communication barriers, particularly in handling official and technical documents.
industrial environments, inaccurate translation may lead to workflow delays, documentation errors, and decreased operational efficiency.
Translation studies emphasize that translation involves reproducing the closest natural equivalent of the source message in the target language, both in meaning and style.
Previous research highlights that professional translation competence requires mastery of translation methods, strategies, and terminology management, especially in technical domains such as science and industry.
Workplace-oriented language training literature further indicates that industry-based translation skills are more relevant to professional needs than general language proficiency alone.
However, many higher education language programs still emphasize general linguistic or pedagogical competence rather than professional translation practice, resulting in a gap between academic preparation and industrial requirements.
Preliminary observations and interviews with the General Affairs Manager and alumni working as translators at PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia revealed several critical issues.
These issues indicate that Accepted: 20-10-2025 | Revision: 01-11-2025 | Publication: 30-11-2025 | doi: 10.
Sheyra Silvia Siregar, et al translation problems in the company are not solely related to individual language ability but also to limited professional training nd inadequate supporting resources in the workplace.
The main problems identified are:
The low quality of translation of important company documents.
The absence of foundational professional translation training during participantsAo academic studies.
Limited knowledge and availability of Mandarin translation references and glossaries in industrial contexts.
Limited use of accurate translation platforms, particularly those related to specialized professional terminology.
These conditions highlight the need for structured, industry-oriented professional development.
Therefore, this community engagement program proposes a practice-based translation training model that integrates academic expertise, experiential learning and industry The novelty of this program lies in its combination of .
needs-based training design, .
experiential learning through real industrial texts, .
diffusion of translation technology and specialized terminology resources and .
direct alignment between higher education expertise and workplace translation demands.
Ae.
Objectives of the Community Engagement Program In response to the identified problems, this community engagement program aims to strengthen MandarinAeIndonesian competence among employees of PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia through an industry-oriented training model.
Specifically, the objectives of this program are:
To improve the quality of translation of important company documents by enhancing participantsAo understanding of translation methods, strategies, and professional translation principles.
To provide foundational professional translation training that bridges the gap between academic language education and real workplace translation To expand participantsAo knowledge and use of specialized translation references, including glossaries and terminology resources related to the energy, chemical, and industrial sectors.
To introduce and optimize the use of appropriate translation platforms and tools to ensure terminology consistency, accuracy and efficiency in professional translation tasks.
Through these objectives, the program supports both individual competence development and improved organizational communication effectiveness in a multilingual industrial environment.
Methods This study employed a practice-based community engagement design grounded in experiential learning the experience which views as process of knowledge construction through direct experience, reflection and application in real contexts.
The method was developed as an industry-oriented professional model aimed improving MandarinAeIndonesian competence among employees working in a bilingual industrial environment.
The approach integrates needs analysis, targeted training, technology diffusion and outcome evaluation to ensure both skill development and workplace applicability.
1 Overall Model Design The methodological framework was designed as an industry-based experiential translation training model structured into four interconnected stages:
Needs Identification, .
Training Implementation, .
Technology and Resource Diffusion, and .
Evaluation of Learning Outcomes.
These stages form a continuous cycle linking workplace problems, instructional intervention, and measurable performance improvement, ensuring that the community engagement activity remains problemdriven and solution-oriented rather than purely Stage 1 Ae Needs Identification The program began with a systematic needs analysis conducted through workplace observation and semistructured interviews with managerial staff and employees of PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia.
This stage aimed to identify:
Recurrent translation errors in company .
Gaps in professional translation competence, .
Limitations in terminology resources, and .
The absence of structured translation tools in daily work practices.
This diagnostic stage ensured that the training content was evidence-based and directly derived from real communication challenges faced by the partner institution, rather than based on generalized assumptions about translation learning.
Stage 2 Ae Training Implementatio Based on the identified needs, a targeted professional translation training program was designed and delivered through workshops and guided practice The instructional design emphasized:
Professional .
Industry-specific terminology .
hemical and energy sector.
and Majalah Ilmiah Oe Vol.
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Sheyra Silvia Siregar, et al .
Contextual decision-making in workplace document translation.
The learning process followed experiential learning principles, where participants engaged in authentic translation tasks using real company texts, followed by reflection and feedback.
This approach positioned participants not as passive learners but as active problem-solvers working with materials directly relevant to their job responsibilities.
Stage 3 Ae Technology and Resource Diffusion Beyond skill training, the model incorporated a technology and resource diffusion stage which distinguishes this program from conventional language Participants were introduced to:
Digital translation-support platforms, .
Terminology databases and .
Industry-oriented glossaries prepared by the training team.
This stage addressed the previously identified lack of professional tools in the workplace and aimed to establish sustainable translation practices that continue beyond the training period.
By equipping participants with resources, the intervention moved from short-term instruction toward long-term capacity building.
Stage 4 Ae Evaluation of Learning Outcomes The final stage involved systematic evaluation to measure the effectiveness of the intervention.
Evaluation focused on:
Improvement in translation accuracy and terminology use, .
ParticipantsAo ability to apply strategies in industrial contexts, and .
Perceptions of training relevance and This stage ensured that the program outcomes were measurable and accountable, aligning the community engagement activity with scholarly standards of assessment while maintaining its practical Model Innovation The this model lies in its integrated design, which .
Industry-specific terminology training, .
Professional translation strategies and .
Practical translation tools Within an authentic workplace environment.
Unlike conventional academic translation courses, this model directly links university expertise with industrial communication needs.
Learning is therefore not limited to theoretical understanding but becomes a problemsolving process that addresses real translation challenges, enhances workplace communication efficiency, and strengthens institutional capacity.
2 Participants and Data Sources The participants were 20 employees of PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia.
Central Java, who function as Mandarin translators or bilingual administrative staff.
Training and evaluation data were derived from authentic company documents, including:
Company profiles Inventory and operational records Technical documents related to chemical and energy sectors These materials served as the primary dataset for translation practice, competency testing, and validation of learning outcomes, ensuring that the intervention remained contextually relevant to industrial communication needs.
3 Training Structure The training was conducted through a two-day intensive workshop combining theoretical instruction and guided practical activities.
The instructional components included:
Introduction to professional MandarinAe Indonesian translation Explanation techniques, strategies and ideologies Guided translation practice using real industry Terminology management for chemical and energy sectors Introduction to translation-support platforms and reference tools Participants in hands-on tasks based on workplace texts.
Reflection and feedback sessions were conducted after each practice segment to reinforce experiential learning and improve translation decision-making.
4 Technology and Resource Diffusion To address the limited availability of translation resources in the workplace, participants were introduced to:
Digital translation-support platforms Terminology databases and reference tools Industry-specific glossaries provided by the training team Printed pocket glossaries and digital references were distributed to ensure sustained post-training application, enabling participants to maintain terminology consistency and improve translation quality beyond the program duration.
5 Evaluation Metrics Training using quantitative Quantitative evaluation A translation competency test was administered at the end of the program.
Assessment criteria included:
Accuracy of meaning transfer Appropriateness of terminology Majalah Ilmiah Oe Vol.
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Sheyra Silvia Siregar, et al Contextual suitability 6 Qualitative Evaluation Participant questionnaires were used to measure:
Perceived usefulness of the training Relevance of materials to workplace needs Quality of instruction This dual evaluation approach ensured that both performance improvement and participant perceptions were systematically captured.
7 ProblemAeMethod Alignment Table 1.
Problem-Method Alignment Identified Method Expected Problem Applied Outcome Low quality of Workshop on Improved accuracy and methods and Reduced work Professional Higher due to skills training quality and work Limited use of Training on Optimized use of tools and Lack of Provision of Better industryglossaries and terminology The overall methodological process is illustrated in Figure 1.
Picture 1.
Flowchart Model Method glossaries are introduced.
The final stage consists of evaluation through The flowchart demonstrates how workplace problems, instructional intervention, technological support, and outcome assessment are systematically integrated to develop professional translation competence in a structured, measurable, and industry-relevant framework.
Result and Discussion The results of the community engagement program indicate that the experiential learningAebased professional translation training produced measurable improvements in participantsAo knowledge, skills, and professional awareness.
The implementation outcomes align with the methodological model presented in Figure 1, where needs-based training, contextual practice, and technology diffusion jointly supported competency development.
The community service program was implemented through an education and training scheme in the form of a workshop, which aligns with the experiential learningAebased training model described in the Methods The activity was conducted over two days.
TuesdayAeWednesday, 20Ae21 August 2024, at the meeting room of PT.
LBM Energi Baru Indonesia.
Central Java, involving 20 employees who serve as Mandarin translators.
Training materials were delivered by Sheyra Silvia Siregar.
MTCSOL assisted by the field implementation team and supported by the Institute for Research and Community Service.
Universitas Negeri Semarang.
Evaluation instruments consisted of participant questionnaires and a translation competency test, as previously outlined in the methodological design.
Picture 2.
Training Opening Ceremony Figure 1 presents the sequential stages of the Industry-Based Experiential Translation Training Model
(IBETTM),
with needs identification through observation and interviews, followed by training implementation via workshop and practice sessions.
The third stage involves technology and resource diffusion, where translation platforms and 1 Training Materials Consistent with the proposed model, the training combined conceptual reinforcement, guided practice, and technology diffusion.
Day one focused on theoretical and methodological foundations, including translation methods, techniques, strategies, and ideologies, followed by guided practice using industrial documents.
Day two emphasized advanced practice, error analysis, expert feedback, and competency testing.
This structure reflects experiential learning stages: concrete experience.
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Sheyra Silvia Siregar, et al reflective observation, conceptualization, and active experimentation.
2 Evaluation of Learning Outcomes Evaluation was conducted using a translation questionnaires administered at the end of the training The competency test assessed translation accuracy, terminology selection, and contextual appropriateness, while the questionnaire measured participantsAo perceptions of material relevance, knowledge gain, and instructor performance using a Likert-scale format.
The test results show a high level of translation performance, with an average score of 90, indicating that participants were able to apply appropriate translation strategies and technical terminology in industrial texts.
Questionnaire findings further demonstrate positive cognitive and motivational Most participants reported that the training introduced new professional knowledge and increased their interest in workplace-oriented translation practice.
These findings confirm that structured, contextualized practice combined with domain-specific resources competence in industrial settings.
Table 2.
Summary of Training Evaluation Results Evaluation Indicator Result Aspect Translation Average 90 / 100 Competency .
Test Interest in Participants Professional Translation increased interest after training Perceived Participants rating Usefulness of materials as highly Materials Knowledge Participants Gain acquisition of new Instructor Positive evaluation High Performance of trainerAos delivery .
ajority and guidance 3 Evaluation Results The evaluation findings indicate measurable improvement in both cognitive understanding and practical translation competence.
Prior to the training, participants demonstrated limited awareness of professional translation strategies and tended to rely on literal translation approaches.
After the intervention, questionnaire responses showed a clear shift in perception and motivation.
As many as 90% of participants expressed strong interest in professional Mandarin translation due to its direct relevance to their workplace tasks.
This increase in motivation reflects the role of contextual relevance in adult learning, where learners engage more actively when training content aligns with real job demands.
Perceived usefulness of the training materials was rated highly by 85% of participants, while 83% reported gaining new knowledge related to specialized industrial These responses suggest that the combination of theory, guided practice and domainspecific resources successfully addressed the competency gap identified during the needs analysis Instructor performance was positively evaluated, reinforcing the importance of expert-guided mentoring in developing professional skills.
Quantitative assessment through the translation competency test produced an average score of 90, indicating improved performance in contextual comprehension, terminology selection, and application of translation strategies.
The improvement can be attributed not only to theoretical exposure but also to the use of authentic company documents during practice Working with real workplace texts enabled participants to connect translation methods with actual communicative tasks.
Immediate feedback during guided practice also helped correct literal translation tendencies and enhance decision-making in selecting appropriate equivalents.
A summary of participant responses is presented in Figure 1.
4 Impact on the Partner Institution The program generated impacts at cognitive, skillbased, and organizational levels.
Cognitively, participants demonstrated better understanding of equivalence, acceptability and functional adequacyAi core principles in professional translation .
noticeable reduction in literal translation patterns suggests strengthened strategic competence.
At the skill level, improvement was evident in translating technical terminology related to chemical and energy industries.
The introduction of glossaries Majalah Ilmiah Oe Vol.
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Sheyra Silvia Siregar, et al and translation platforms contributed to greater terminology consistency, which is essential in technical translation to prevent misinterpretation and operational errors .
These tools reduced lexical uncertainty and supported more standardized translation outputs.
Organizationally, improved translation quality reduced document revision cycles and facilitated clearer communication between local and foreign staff.
This aligns with findings that language competence directly influences workflow efficiency in multilingual industrial settings .
The provision of reference materials ensures sustainability, as employees can continue refining their skills beyond the training period.
This reflects the capacity-building orientation of community engagement programs, where knowledge transfer is reinforced by long-term learning resources .
Picture 3.
Discussion with Participant Several supporting factors contributed to program First, material relevance to participantsAo daily work increased engagement.
Second, expert feedback during practice sessions enabled real-time correction of errors.
Third, access to industry-specific glossaries addressed previously identified terminology These elements indicate that the observed improvements resulted from structured instructional design rather than incidental learning.
Despite positive outcomes, several challenges emerged.
The two-day duration limited deeper exploration of advanced technical terminology.
Differences in participantsAo prior experience influenced the pace of learning.
Some participants initially experienced difficulty adapting to digital translation platforms.
These constraints suggest the need for follow-up training and gradual technology 5 Discussion The findings demonstrate that the experiential learningAebased translation training model effectively addressed the key problems identified at PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia.
The improvement in translation competency scores, high participant satisfaction and increased motivation indicate that needs-based and practice-oriented training enhances MandarinAe Indonesian translation performance in industrial These results show that translation difficulties in the workplace are not solely linguistic issues but are also related to limited professional strategy knowledge, insufficient industry-specific terminology, and minimal use of translation tools.
The results confirm the effectiveness of the experiential learningAebased model proposed in the Methods section.
The improvement in competency scores can be directly linked to the structured learning Guided practice using real documents provided concrete experience, while error analysis sessions Conceptual explanation of strategies strengthened abstract understanding and subsequent practice tasks supported active experimentation.
This sequence explains why participants moved from literal translation patterns toward more contextual and strategic The integration of needs-based training and technology diffusion aligns with applied linguistics perspectives emphasizing the importance of tools and domain knowledge in specialized translation.
Compared with general translation training, this intervention was more effective because it directly addressed workplace texts and communicative demands, consistent with principles of workplaceoriented language training.
Furthermore, the model demonstrates that community engagement in higher education can function as a bridge between academic expertise and industrial needs.
By combining workshops, guided practice, and resource provision, the program not only improved immediate skills but also established a sustainable learning ecosystem.
This supports capacitybuilding models in community service programs, where long-term competence development is enabled through continuous access to learning resources.
During the implementation, several practical constraints were identified.
The short training duration limited deeper exploration of advanced technical terminology, which may affect long-term mastery.
Variation in participantsAo prior experience created differences in learning pace, requiring additional individual guidance.
Some participants also faced initial difficulties in operating digital translation platforms due to limited prior exposure.
To address these constraints, supplementary glossaries and reference materials were provided for continued self-study.
Step-by-step demonstrations and guided practice were used to facilitate technology adoption.
Future programs are recommended to include longer training duration and staged follow-up mentoring to ensure sustained competency development.
The programAos effectiveness supports experiential learning theory, as participants developed competence through direct engagement with authentic workplace documents, reflective error analysis and guided strategy This approach aligns with workplace- Majalah Ilmiah Oe Vol.
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Sheyra Silvia Siregar, et al oriented language training research emphasizing contextualized tasks over isolated theoretical The integration of terminology management and translation technologies further supports translation studies perspectives that highlight the importance of domain knowledge and technological support in specialized translation.
This study contributes a practicebased community engagement model that integrates strategies, and practical tools within a real workplace The model helps bridge the gap between higher education outcomes and industrial communication demands while producing practical benefits, such as improved terminology accuracy and clearer bilingual Nevertheless, the short training duration and limited number of participants restrict broader generalization.
Future programs should incorporate longer training cycles, follow-up evaluations, and deeper integration of advanced translation technologies.
This study contributes a practice-based community engagement model that integrates industry terminology, professional translation strategies, and practical tools within a real workplace context.
The model helps bridge the gap between higher education outcomes and industrial communication demands while producing practical benefits, such as improved terminology accuracy and clearer bilingual communication.
Nevertheless, the short training duration and limited number of participants restrict broader generalization.
Future programs should incorporate longer training cycles, follow-up evaluations, and deeper integration of advanced translation technologies to strengthen longterm impact and sustainability.
Picture 4.
Discussion with Participant Conclusions This community engagement program demonstrates that an experiential learningAebased, industry-oriented translation training model can effectively enhance MandarinAeIndonesian competence in an industrial setting.
The results show measurable improvement in participantsAo translation performance, reflected in high competency test scores and positive evaluations of material relevance, instructional quality and practical usefulness.
These findings directly address the initial problems identified at the partner institution, namely low translation accuracy, limited mastery of professional strategies, insufficient industry-specific terminology resources, and minimal use of reliable translation tools.
integrating needs analysis, contextualized training using authentic company documents, guided practice, and the diffusion of glossaries and digital translation platforms, the program successfully bridged the gap between academic language preparation and real workplace The original contribution of this work lies in offering a structured, practice-based model of translation capacity building that combines professional translation strategies, domain-specific terminology training, and technology support within an authentic industrial environment.
This model extends existing approaches to workplace language training by emphasizing not only linguistic competence but also strategic, technological and terminological dimensions essential for technical translation.
Practically, the improved translation quality supports clearer crosslanguage communication, reduces document revision cycles, and enhances collaboration between local and foreign staff, thereby contributing to organizational Theoretically, the study reinforces the relevance of experiential and workplace-oriented learning frameworks in developing professional language competence.
Future programs should consider longer training duration and follow-up mentoring to ensure deeper mastery and sustained professional development beyond the initial intervention.
Acknowledgements The authors declare no conflict of interest.
This community service program was supported by the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM).
Universitas Negeri Semarang, and PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia, which facilitated the implementation of the activity.
Acknowledgments .
f applicabl.
The authors would like to thank the management of PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia for their cooperation and logistical support during the implementation of the Appreciation is also extended to the field implementation team and administrative staff of the Faculty of Languages and Arts.
Universitas Negeri Semarang, for their technical assistance and coordination support.
Consent has been obtained from all individuals acknowledged in this se Author Contributions Statement This study applies the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonom.
to describe each author's contribution.
All authors meet the authorship criteria and have approved the final version of the manuscript.
The corresponding author is responsible for all communication related to submission, revision, and publication.
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Sheyra Silvia Siregar, et al Name Author Sheyra Silvia Siregar Nur Hanifa Insani C M So R D W ui ui ui ui ui ui ui ui ui ui ui ui Data Availability The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
The data are not publicly available due to confidentiality agreements with the partner institution (PT.
LBM Energi Baru Indonesi.
and the presence of company-related documents used during the training and evaluation proc.
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