Clark State Community College will hold a career informational event for students interested in the expanding field of Judicial Court Reporting (JCR).
“The purpose is to introduce people to the wonderful career opportunities available with the skill of court reporting and provide the information on how to learn the skill,” said Robyn Hennigan, assistant professor and program coordinator Judicial Court Reporting at Clark State. “We are trying to get the word out about the trades available and the income potential with the two-year court reporting degree offered at Clark State, as well as the over 5,500 job openings available.”
Hennigan is working alongside Clark State program partner Stark State Community College to get court reporting in the forefront of career opportunities for young people in middle school and high school, as well as people looking for a new career. She said the demand for reporters is extremely high, and new graduates are needed to enter the field.
Participants in the program will be able to sign up for a completely free course called A to Z: Intro to Machine Shorthand. The course teaches the basic keyboard of the machine so students are familiar with the machine prior to making a commitment to the program.
“Court reporters are in high demand because there is a huge number of court reporters retiring across the country, and the closed captioning need has increased greatly,” said Hennigan.
The Judicial Court Reporting program is a completely online program. An associate degree is earned upon completion, and Clark State has a 100 percent job placement upon completion. “When students graduate from our program, they are ready to work as a reporter, earn certifications and have opportunities across the country to choose from,” said Hennigan.
Hennigan also said the degree earned from the Clark State/Stark State Judicial Court Reporting program enables its graduates to earn top dollar in exciting and rewarding career fields without creating huge college debt.
Prospective students are invited to learn more about opportunities in Judicial Court Reporting at a special event being held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 at the Clark State Brinkman Educational Center, Room 305. The Brinkman Educational Center is located at 100 South Limestone Street in downtown Springfield.