Working in court reporting careers offers the individual an opportunity to have a fun, exciting and rewarding position. When doing this type of work, very seldom are two days ever the same and there are always a high demand for those seeking these positions.
A court report has an important position and all work must be very precise as often times a transcript is referred back to for information regarding a court proceeding. Those in this field must be quick with shorthand, be proficient in the equipment used and be precise.
It takes approximately two years to complete the education required for a court reporting position, after which time the individual will be awarded a certificate. Following or during class time there will be a need for an internship in order to gain experience and perfect the shorthand techniques required.
During the class time and the internship a future court reporter will be taught how to do shorthand and will choose one of the machines to be trained on. There are two different types of equipment used to record the proceedings. One is a stenotype machine which is the one most often seen in a courtroom. This type of equipment is when the conversations and gestures are typed in using shorthand. The use of this machine requires that approximately 250 words per minute be entered.
The other machine is a steno mask which is voice silencer with a digital recorder. This machine will allow the reporter to record and transcribe all that is said. This device allows the reporter to verbally record the proceedings and has a mask to prevent the reporter from being heard while recording. All words and gestures are recorded then put in a transcript.
The courses will also teach legal as well as medical terminology which is important for completing the transcriptions effectively. Continued practice is very important in these positions as a court reporter is required to type around 225 words per minute. The job requires the individual to be detail oriented and precise in the recordings.
Those with court reporting careers may be asked to do other types of work as well, such as research in preparation for a part of the trial or they may be asked to repeat something in court about a specific part of the trial. Once an individual has learned the equipment used as a court reporter, they also may find work as a transcriber in other fields.
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