Court reporters use portable steno machines and laptop computers and can work from almost anywhere.

There are many exciting opportunities for court reporters in Canada and overseas.

Careers

A Diploma in Court Reporting can lead to any of the following exciting and in-demand careers.

Click on each job title for an expanded description. You can also contact us to talk

to an industry expert one-on-one.

• Court Reporting
In their traditional role as guardians of the record of court proceedings, court reporters are front and center at controversial and highly publicized cases - criminal trials, millionaire divorces, government corruption trials, and lawsuits against everyone from rock groups to elected officials to professional athletes. The job has two parts. First, reporters capture the words spoken by everyone during the proceeding. Second, they prepare a transcript of the proceeding. The transcript helps safeguard everyone's rights in the legal process. Realtime reporters can also provide instant transcripts on computer screens as the trial or deposition is actually taking place. This expertise is key in ensuring that the deaf or hearing-impaired are afforded the same legal benefits as hearing persons.
• Broadcast Captioning
People who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can read words that are spoken through a combination of technology and reporting, a skill known as "Realtime translation". Specially trained reporters use this technology to provide captions for live television programs, such as news, emergency broadcasts, sports events, the Oscars, the Emmys, and other live programs. Captions allow people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (a community numbering in the 2.8 million range in Canada alone) to understand and enjoy TV broadcasts. This comprehension is especially critical in times of weather disasters or national emergencies. Rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission require that all new television programming be captioned and as a result, captioners are becoming increasingly more in demand. Captioners generally work at home as freelance professionals, and are paid an hourly wage, usually of more than $90 per hour. Captioning work is ideal for stay at home moms and anyone looking to make a lucrative wage from the comfort of their own home.
• CART Service Provider
A reporter's ability to instantaneously transfer spoken words to readable text enables them to provide specialized services to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Some Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) reporters work with deaf or hard-of-hearing students in high schools and colleges. They attend classes, and translate lectures and classroom discussions into readable text, allowing students with hearing problems to follow and participate. These services are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the demand for CART services exceeds the capacity to provide them. CART reporters also provide services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people in churches, at weddings, in business settings, in doctors' offices - just about everywhere.
• Medical Transcription
Machine shorthand dictation is a highly transferable skill that is also extensively used in the always-burgeoning field of medicine. Medical transcription is all about keeping detailed patient files and medical records. Medical transcription experts convert old paper files to searchable digital files. They also participate in the deciphering of hand written medical notes. The conversion of spoken medical language to text is a difficult and specialized craft, but the skills CCVS students learn prepare them for work in this extensive and engaging field.
• Webcasting
With the accelerated advancement in technology and the growth and popularity of online conferences, reporters have lately found their services to be in great demand on the Internet. Webcasting reporters deliver Realtime reporting for sales meetings, press conferences, product introductions, and technical training seminars, providing instant transmission to all parties involved. As participants speak into telephones or microphones, the court reporter translates their words in Realtime. The words appear on everyone's computers, accompanied by any relevant documents or graphics. Webcasting is a lucrative career, and participating reporters can make between $100-$200 per hour.
• Scopistry
Scopists are hired by reporters to edit and proofread transcripts while the reporters themselves work in court or take depositions. Scopists are responsible for taking rough drafts of proceedings, and for reviewing and correcting transcripts. Scopists identify and correct mistranslated homonyms (for example, "here" instead of "hear"), or other words, such as proper names or technical terms that were not in the court reporter's computer dictionary. Scopists make any necessary edits, ensure the transcript is in the requested format, and send the transcript back to the court reporter. In the case of simultaneous display, Scopists make corrections or highlight any questions as the transcript scrolls on the computer screen. This is called "Scoping". As is the case with Broadcast Captioning, Scoping is an ideal career for a person who needs or prefers to work from home.