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People celebrate educational milestones because they are real-life markers of accomplishment, raising individuals to new heights and new opportunities. Educational milestones change lives and become a part of those completing their education. But they do not just happen in an academic classroom.
Anna Deal reached a milestone that changed her life. She completed the Court Reporting at Home training in just 11 months. Then, after two months of internship, started work immediately after finishing the program. Deal accomplished this while caring for two toddlers at home.
Court Reporting at Home is a program offered by the Office of Professional and Continuing Education. It is the only program of its type in Alabama that is approved by the Alabama Court Reporters Association and offers all training online.
Shavon Williams, assistant director for Online Certificate Programs said, “The Court Reporting at Home program offers a unique opportunity for working professionals to go through the program in their own time.”
“Realtime Reporting and Captioning Theory is taught in this program. It is the shortest, easiest, real-time writing theory available and the only one that includes video tutorials that correlate with each lesson in the Theory Manual. Students are able to intern at hours that will not interrupt their current work schedule,” Williams said.
This self-paced, online, home study program is designed to prepare beginning students and transfer students with prior training to be real-time writing steno machine writers to prepare them for careers in court reporting, broadcast (closed) captioning, and CART providing. As they write on the steno machine, the words appear in English on a computer screen or a television screen.
These exciting careers are in demand and provide job security. The U.S. Department of Labor expects the field of court reporters and simultaneous captioners to grow 3% between 2022 and 2032. Simultaneous captioners provide real-time transcription of live broadcasts, meetings and events for closed captioning purposes.
Court reporting offers various career paths, including working for agencies or firms, serving in government roles, or operating as an independent freelance court reporter. Additionally, individuals can pursue a position as an official court reporter within a courtroom setting. Closed captioning — writing the captions beneath television programs for hearing-impaired persons — allows individuals to work entirely from home. CART (Communications Access Realtime Translation) is primarily writing for hearing impaired college students and may be accomplished by working entirely from home or going to the assignment.
To see what learning opportunities are available to you, view the course listings at outreach.auburn.edu//departments/opce/.