Are you interested in finding out more about a career in court reporting? If you’re currently in a program or have just received your certification, you are probably interested in learning even more about the opportunities within this field.
One of the ways to accomplish this is to spend time learning about the benefits of a court reporter association. In the United States, there are three national associations:
- The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)
- The National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA)
- The American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT)
In addition to providing educational resources, continuing education, and certification, these organizations also offer additional resources for individuals within the field. These include networking opportunities and conferences.
The NCRA, for example, established their certification program in 1935. Currently, they have three levels of certification:
- Registered Professional Reporters
- Registered Merit Reporter
- Registered Diplomate Reporter
According to their website, the NCRA represents the following number of individuals in these certification categories:
- Registered Professional Reporters: Approximately 11,000
- Registered Merit Reporter: Over 21,000
- Registered Diplomate Reporters: Over 450
The NVRA, according to their mission statement, provides a variety of services to the field and its membership. These include promoting the “practice, education and professional standards” along with standards of “ethical behavior, professional development, and educational opportunities.”
As with the other two court reporter associations, AAERT also provides educational opportunities, certification, networking, and other resources.
When considering a career within this field, you may be interested to know that there are opportunities for professional growth. By 2022, for example, the demand for court reporters is expected to increase by 10%.
Court reporters work in a variety of settings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)Occupational Outlook Handbook, court reporters may work in the following work environments:
- Local government offices
- State government offices
- Court system
- Legislative offices
Currently, there are over 50,000 court reporters, and over 70% of them work outside the court. Many court reporters work within the broadcasting industry, according to the BLS, in order to provide television captioning for the hearing impaired.
When you’d like to learn more about becoming a court reporter, one of the above associations can assist you with this process. Furthermore, these associations also provide valuable resources such as professional development and networking.