Court Reporters in the 21st Century are in ever greater demand. People who work in the field can testify to this shortage. The Boston Globe of October 26, 2000, lamented: "Court Reporters are precious few." The January 3, 2003, Christian Science Monitor reported: "Massachusetts slogs through one of the biggest reporter shortages in the nation... Demand for Court Reporters grows even as their ranks dwindle, forcing courts to postpone trials."

Founded to address this need for well-trained, skilled Court Reporters, The New England School of Court Reporting offers two distinct Certificate programs:

• Certificate of Court Reporting: Legal, Medical and Conference Reporting, and
• Certificate of Court Reporting: RealTime Captioning and Reporting

Each of these Certificate Programs provides students with the theoretical knowledge and the proficiency they will need to take advantage of career opportunities available to skilled Court Reporters.

Often when we hear the term "Court Reporter," we immediately think of a lawyer's office or a courtroom. Only about 27% of trained Court Reporters actually work in the courts. The majority of career opportunities for trained Court Reporters exists outside the courtroom in:

• Medical Transcription
• Conference and Meeting Reporting
• Interpreting for the Hearing-Impaired
• Legal Depositions and Arbitration
• Closed Captioning
• RealTime Transcription for TV
• RealTime Transcription for Media Outlets

• There is a shortage of court reporters over the entire United States
• The average annual income for Court Reporters nationally is $61,830 (1999 NCRA survey)
• Approximately 70% of Court Reporters in the U.S. are Freelance Reporters (NCRA)
• Freelance Reporters in their first year earn approximately $50,000; the average salary with five years' experience is $70,000-$90,000. (Susan Gioffre, President, Certified Court Reporters Association, NJ)

Many trained Court Reporters work from their homes doing a variety of transcription services. If you want to name your own hours and run a business from your home, Court Reporting offers tremendous opportunities. The working hours of Freelance Court Reporters are flexible, as are their incomes. Work when you wish; your income will reflect the number of hours you put into the profession.

The field of court reporting is a prestigious profession whether you work in a courtroom, a law office, or a media outlet. Court Reporters are in demand and have job security.

• Record oral proceedings in business, medical, legal, and educational environments?
• Document proceedings of meetings and conventions?
• Translate and edit recorded dictation by physicians?
• Capture proceedings in government agencies?

• A high school diploma or GED is a must. Of course, if you have an associate's or a bachelor's or a master's degree, that would be an added plus!
• A strong desire to learn and a commitment to the course of study
• Excellent listening skills
• Good grammar and punctuation skills
• Typing skills (35-40 wpm minimum)

• Expertise in the field of Court Reporting
• Training on up-to-the-minute technological equipment
• Knowledgeable faculty
• State-of-the-art curriculum
• Great support staff
• Opportunity to become employed in an active, stimulating, multi-faceted profession

*Court Reporting On-Line