A career in court reporting is like having a career as an offensive lineman in professional football. A court reporter is like an offensive lineman as they are often never mentioned and are not thought of as being very important. In other words, the court reporter is the unsung hero. It is often assumed that they are quiet typists that sit to the side of courtroom just typing away. However, quiet the contrary is true. Court reporters are highly trained and very important to the legal community.
Court reporters often find themselves working in the entertainment industry or for major corporations. They may find themselves being self employed and doing their transcriptions from their home office or they may find themselves in a high tech cubicle or even in a courtroom.
Regardless of the assignment, from murder trials, Congressional hearings to doing closed captions or dealing with Hollywood, a court reporter received specialized training from an accredited school which offers court reporting programs.
There are many court reporting schools available and several will offer voice writing programs. These programs can be completed in almost a year and there are also steno-typist programs available which last for 30 months. These lead to court reporting certifications.
In order to get your court reporting degree, you will need to meet certain requirements. Along with learning specialized software programs and voice recognition for capturing transcripts, court reporting students will need to meet the 225 word per minute minimum requirement. This standard has been set by the National Court Reporters Association and the federal government.
Other requirements you will need to excel at are having good English skills in English spelling, vocabulary and grammar. You'll also need to be a good listener.
The predictions look good for the job growth of court reporters. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts steady growth through the year 2012. There is a need in the field as fewer people are following a court reporting career path and the demand for trained specialists is growing quickly. The Americans with Disabilities Act will also create a higher need for real-time transcriptionists on college campuses and in corporate America.
There are several court reporting schools available to choose from. Consider a career in a field that is increasingly in need of good court reporters. Get your court reporting degree from a college or university near you. There are several campus based schools or online schools to choose from. Get started on your new career path today by enrolling now!
