Court reporters are in demand in what can be a great career.
Just about everywhere, demand for court reporters is growing thanks to a perfect storm of rising demand and retirements in the profession.
Check out this article from the Duluth News Tribune if you have any doubts:
Court reporters, also known as stenographers, use a 6-pound stenotype machine, which features 22 keys, to capture, verbatim, the court record. The keys do not spell out letters, but rather they spell out syllables phonetically, using a combination of letters. Originally, reporters took shorthand notes and typed them onto carbon copy paper. Now, they are able in real time to connect to paperless machines that hook up to iPads, laptops and computers to capture the record at a typing pace of 225 words per minute.
In Brainerd, court reporters have a combined 130 years of experience and want people to know the demand for the profession is high.
Ducker Worldwide, a Troy, Mich.-based global consulting and research firm, estimates the aging pool of current court reporters, plus the declining enrollment rates in training programs, will create a shortfall of nearly 5,500 this year alone. Forbes has named court reporting as one of the best career options that does not require a traditional four-year degree and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the court reporting field is expected to grow by 14 percent through the year 2020.
Depending on the industry, their experience and the amount of work they take on, court reporters can make upward of six figures a year, statistics show. Official reporters working for the courts receive a salary, benefits and extra income for transcripts.
By most measures, court reporters have a truly rewarding career in an expanding field. CourtScribes is working hard to keep up with demand, while continuing to expand. Thanks to our unique blend of traditional stenography with cutting edge video, cloud and telecommunications technology, we’re able to offer services that are second to none.
