Most of the skills needed to for a court reporter career are learned either in school, through training or on the job. Some, like certifications, can be pursued through one of the several court reporting organizations that set standards for the occupation.

Education

The level of education required to become a court reporter depends on the type of reporting. It takes only 9-12 months of court reporting school to become a beginning level voice writer, but it takes at least two years to become an expert at realtime voice writing. Generally, it takes 33 months to become a realtime stenotypist.

Education is offered by about 130 vocational and technical schools in the US. The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has certified around 70 programs that offer courses in stenotype transcription and real-time reporting. NCRA-certified programs require students to record at least 225 words per minute, also a requirement for government court reporting jobs.

Because electronic court reporters use audio-capture technology, they usually learn their skills on the job. Students study equipments manuals, review with their instructors, and observe trained electronic transcribers on the job. Court electronic transcribers get technical training from vendors with further court-specific training on the job. When working for a private company, on the job training takes place under the supervision of an established employee.

Certifications

Certifications can greatly help court reporters advance in their careers. There are various court reporter certifications for different types of court reporters.

The NCRA offers the designation Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) to applicants who pass a four-part examination and partake in continuing education programs. A court reporter can also receive other certifications that demonstrate higher levels of skill, like Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) or Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR).

The NCRA also offers the designations Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR), Certified Broadcast Captioner (CBC), and Certified CART Provider (CCP), designed primarily for those who caption media programs or assist people who are deaf. Students can earn a court reporting certification through an online program or from a campus-based school.