The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters, captioners and legal videographers, has designated Feb. 8-15 as the 2020 National Court Reporting & Captioning Week. The week-long event will highlight the many aspects of court reporting and captioning that make it a viable profession, including good salaries, flexibility, interesting venues, and the increasing demand for more reporters and captioners to meet the growing number of employment opportunities available in the field.
U.S. Legal Support is planning to show appreciation by hosting a variety of events for court reporters nationwide throughout the week. Additionally, there will be online activities, complimentary webinars and giveaways shared through their Steno Life Facebook group and other social channels.
“Court reporting is the foundation of our business and we’re excited to celebrate and highlight the exceptional work, professionalism and dedication of reporters this week and throughout the year,” said Pete Giammanco, CSR, RPR, CRR, CLR, President and Chief Strategy Officer of U.S. Legal Support. “We recognize and deeply appreciate the personal relationships that reporters form with law firms and our mutual clients. We’re proud to have working relationships with more than 5,000 certified court reporters across the country and we’re constantly engaged to foster deeper relationships and to give back to the community.”
Shana Holton, CSR, CLR, Chief Revenue Officer of U.S. Legal Support added, “U.S. Legal Support is committed to the ongoing education and development of the court reporting profession. We’re proud to support Project Steno, a nonprofit that promotes the stenographic court reporting/captioning profession through community outreach. We also provide internship opportunities, mentorship programs and scholarships to students interested in pursuing a career in court reporting. We encourage those interested to visit our website to learn more and apply.”
Court reporters, captioners and court reporting schools around the country will also participate by hosting an array of activities, including visits to high schools to showcase the profession, Veterans History Project interviews, media outreach, and more. Professionals in the field will use these opportunities to demonstrate how the stenographic machine works to capture the spoken word and translate it into written text in real time. NCRA members will also share their stories with the public about how they became involved in the profession, the interesting events they have reported on, and why their career choice has proven to be one of the best decisions they’ve made.
“Throughout the week, NCRA members will be upping their efforts to introduce to consumers and potential students why the court reporting and captioning professions matter in and out of the courtroom, the positive impact these professionals have on peoples’ lives, and the many great returns, such as flexibility in the workplace, the ability to work in different venues around the world and the capacity to earn high wages,” said NCRA President Max Curry, RPR, CRI, a court reporter and firm owner from Franklin, Tenn.
“Court Reporting & Captioning Week is also the perfect time to share with potential students how they can take advantage of NCRA’s A to Z® Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand program, a free six-to-eight week course that is available onsite and online. This wonderful program, which is led by working professionals, is designed to help participants get a feel for working on a real steno machine by learning the alphabet and learning to write a few simple words. The A to Z program also provides participants with an opportunity to test the waters to see if a profession in the court reporting or captioning field is a good fit for them,” Curry added.
To help celebrate the week, NCRA has made available a vast collection of resources including informational and marketing materials available on its DiscoverSteno.org site, launched to help promote the profession to high school students, career changers, college redirects and veterans.
NCRA will also support an official legislative recognition of national Court Reporting & Captioning Week and rely on its social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and blogs to reach thousands of people throughout the week to raise public awareness about pursuing a career in the field and the important role court reporters and captioners play in capturing the official record, preserving history and providing vital services to the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
“By taking the time to share with someone else what you do as a captioner or a court reporter, you can help open doors to new opportunities for others who are seeking an exciting and rewarding career. Just think about how you learned about this career. Was it through a family member or friend? A school counselor? Maybe you were introduced to the profession during a career day. Whatever motivated you to pursue this profession, don’t miss this opportunity to share what you do with others,” added Curry.
The court reporting and captioning professions offer viable career choices that do not require a four-year college degree and yet offer good salaries, flexible schedules, and interesting venues. There is currently an increasing demand for more reporters and captioners to meet the growing number of employment opportunities available nationwide and abroad.
Court reporters and captioners rely on the latest in technology to use stenographic machines to capture the spoken word and translate it into written text in real-time. These professionals work both in and out of the courtroom recording legal cases and depositions, providing live captioning of events, and assisting members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities with gaining access to information, entertainment, educational opportunities, and more.
To arrange an interview with a working court reporter or captioner, or to learn more about the lucrative and flexible court reporting or captioning professions and the many job opportunities currently available, contact pr@ncra.org. Be sure to visit NCRA’s Press Center for information as well.
Career information about the court reporting profession—one of the leading career options that does not require a traditional four-year degree—can be found at DiscoverSteno.org.
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has been internationally recognized for promoting excellence among those who capture and convert the spoken word to text for more than 100 years. NCRA is committed to supporting its 14,000 members in achieving the highest level of professional expertise with educational opportunities and industry-recognized court reporting, educator, and videographer certification programs. NCRA impacts legislative issues and the global marketplace through its actively involved membership. Forbes has named court reporting as one of the best career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the court reporting field is expected to grow by 14 percent through the year 2020.
