From starting over to finding purpose: Mustafa Ersoy’s journey into interpreting
For Mustafa Ersoy, becoming an interpreter wasn’t simply a career choice. It was the fulfilment of a long-held passion that took years of determination, resilience and hard work to achieve.
After moving to Australia from Türkiye at the age of 25, changing careers, and completing postgraduate study while working full-time; Mustafa is now a certified interpreter, certified translator and trainer, helping prepare the next generation of language professionals.
Looking back, he says he’s finally reached a point where he can simply enjoy doing the work he loves.
A passion for language that never disappeared
Growing up in Türkiye, Mustafa always imagined a future studying linguistics.
“My parents were both English majors, but they didn’t think linguistics was a practical career, so they encouraged me to study business instead.”
Although he completed a business degree and began building a career, he always felt drawn back to language.
“I’ve always regretted not studying humanities, because that’s really where my passion was.”
After graduating, Mustafa worked across a range of industries before the life-changing decision to move to Australia at the age of 25.
Like many migrants, arriving in a new country meant leaving behind the career he had already established and starting again from the beginning.
“I had to start from scratch as a sales assistant in Sydney. I worked in retail buying and marketing, but none of it really stuck.”
A dream put on hold
In 2019, Mustafa decided to pursue a dream of becoming a translator. After sitting the NAATI Certified Translator test, however, he realised just how much formal training he needed.
“I failed the test, and it became obvious that I needed proper training before I could become credentialled.”
At the time, there were no translation or interpreting courses available in Turkish in Sydney. The only option required studying face-to-face in Melbourne, making it impractical while working full-time.
Instead, Mustafa put his plans on hold and accepted a role with ACON, the AIDS Council of NSW, where he spent five years working in community engagement and health promotion.
Although he found the work deeply meaningful, his passion for language never faded.
The opportunity that changed everything
The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly transformed Mustafa’s career prospects.
As universities shifted to online learning, interpreter and translator training suddenly became far more accessible. Around the same time, Mustafa heard about the Multicultural NSW Interpreter Scholarship Program through a podcast.
“As soon as I heard Turkish was included, I started checking the Multicultural NSW website regularly until applications opened.”
Being accepted into the scholarship proved to be the breakthrough he had been waiting for.
Delivered in partnership with the University of New South Wales, the intensive six-month program provided practical, hands-on training from experienced university lecturers and industry experts.
“It was an incredible program. That’s when I finally felt ready to sit the Certified Provisional Interpreter test.”
And this time, he passed!
Opening doors to further study
The scholarship became much more than a pathway to certification.
Encouraged by the teaching staff, Mustafa applied for a Master of Translation at the University of New South Wales. Although Turkish wasn’t offered as part of the program, the university recognised his potential and organised individual tuition so he could continue his studies.
“They opened the Turkish cohort just for me. I was the only student. I owe that opportunity to Multicultural NSW and UNSW.”
“The course also introduced me to my Turkish tutors, Fatih Karakaş and Hülya Kayhan, who became my mentors and have had a lasting impact on my career. As language practitioners, we often work in isolation, so their guidance, experience, and support have been invaluable. I wouldn’t have overcome many of the challenges I’ve faced without them.”
While completing his master’s degree, Mustafa balanced full-time work at ACON with evening classes and interpreting assignments, before also becoming a certified translator.
“It was incredibly busy, but COVID made it possible. Working and studying from home gave me the flexibility to pursue everything at once.”
From student to trainer
By the end of 2024, Mustafa felt ready to commit fully to his new profession and left his community health career to work as a freelance interpreter and translator.
Having recently completed his own interpreter training, Mustafa was invited by NAATI to help deliver Certified Provisional Interpreter (CPI) training. Today, he is part of the team delivering the scholarship training program, mentoring aspiring interpreters beginning the same journey he started only a few years ago.
“I’ve really enjoyed becoming the teacher rather than the student. It’s incredibly rewarding.”
The role even prompted a move from Sydney to Melbourne to support the growing training program.
Supporting people when they need it most
Throughout his interpreting career, Mustafa has worked on assignments involving healthcare, social services and the justice system.
Some of those conversations have been confronting, including matters involving elder abuse, forensic medical reports and refugee experiences.
“There were times when the content affected me so much that I needed to take a couple of days before I felt ready to work again.”
Despite the emotional challenges, those experiences have reinforced why he chose this profession.
“I know that if I can do a good job, I’m helping someone access justice, healthcare or social support. That’s what keeps me passionate about what I do.”
To help process particularly difficult assignments, Mustafa has developed a personal practice of donating the income from some emotionally challenging jobs to charities supporting the communities affected.
“It’s a way of knowing that I’m helping not just that individual, but also the wider community.”
Enjoying the journey
After years of rebuilding his career, studying, gaining qualifications and working towards professional accreditation, Mustafa says he has finally reached a point where he no longer feels the need to plan every next step.
“I’ve spent the last 10 years planning my future. This is the first time I feel like I can stop planning and simply enjoy the career that I love.”
For Mustafa, interpreting has become far more than a profession. It’s a career that combines his lifelong passion for language with the opportunity to make a genuine difference in people’s lives.
His journey demonstrates that careers don’t always follow a straight path. Sometimes the greatest opportunities come from perseverance, embracing change and saying yes when the right opportunity comes along.