Court reporters play a critical role in judicial proceedings, but may also be used for all kinds of specialized transcription, from recording sales meetings to television captioning for the hearing impaired. Court reporters record everything that is said during meetings, hearings, and trials to provide a legal record of events.

You can pursue your career training in several types of reporting; you can become a transcriber (using a stenographic machine,) electronic reporter (using a tape recorder,) or voice writer (repeating the testimony into a microphone and recording it).

Fast Facts:

• Projected Job Growth (2008): Much faster than average--25% rate from 2006-2016
• Number of Positions (2006): 19,000
• Mean Salary (2008): $51,960
• Average Length of Degree Program: 2-3 years

Career training is offered at over 130 vocational campus schools and colleges, as well as through online degree programs. There are many licensing organizations. Some require you to demonstrate that you have 225 words per minute capability for certification--as does the federal government. More than half of court reporters work for the government. Others are employed by court reporting agencies, with a few being self-employed.

If you have good manual dexterity, listening, and writing skills, becoming a court reporter could be the right choice for you.