There are two basic ways to get court stenographer training. One is on the job and another is via a court stenography training program. The right training for you may depend on the jurisdiction in which you are seeking employment. Some require court stenographers to be licensed or certified. In such a case, you may be best served by choosing a training program that is offered or approved by the organization or agency that provides licensing or certification. Vocational and technical schools typically offer such training.
One way to get court stenographer training is on the job. With this type of training, you may learn by reviewing manuals and other training materials provided by the company that hires you. The company’s trainers may review the manuals with you, and in some cases, you may even take tests on the provided materials. If you receive on-the-job training, you will typically also have the opportunity to observe an experienced court stenographer at work.
In some jurisdictions, the preferred training for becoming a court stenographer includes in-classroom education. If this type of training is required in your area, you may enroll in a stenography training program at a vocational or technical school. You are likely to learn such things as computer-aided transcription and techniques used for voice writing through such a program. You will typically build your skills with the goal of meeting your jurisdiction’s skill requirements. For example, in many places, you have to be capable of transcribing at least 225 words per minute to be eligible for a job as a court stenographer.
The amount of time you will need for court stenographer training will usually depend on how quickly you are able to take in training material and increase your transcription speed. By some assessments, a person may need about a year of court stenographer training to learn the skills adequately. It may take as many as two years, however, to reach a sufficient level of proficiency in court stenography to qualify for a job.
Some jurisdictions require court stenographers to become licensed or certificated before they can be hired for this job. In such a case, you will likely have to pass a test to gain licensing or certification. If this is the case in your jurisdiction, you may do well to choose a court stenographer training program that is recommended or offered by the licensing or certification agency. This way, you can ensure that the program will provide the level of training you need.
