The state of the job market in California is currently uncertain. The unemployment rate is one of the highest in the country, and many companies are moving to other parts of the United States to avoid the high cost of doing business in the Golden State.
However, one job sector that looks stronger than ever is court reporting. California court reporters can look forward to a future of rising salaries and job security at a time when other industries are failing.
Why is court reporter a good career choice in California?
There are several reasons why court reporting is such a good career move for Californians in today’s job market.
- The job cannot be outsourced. While many positions in the customer service industry or industrial sector are being sent overseas, it is impossible to do so with a court reporter. They must be present at the proceedings, so finding cheaper labor in another country is not an option.
- Court reporters cannot be replaced by technology. While there have been significant advances in speech recognition software, a human being will always be required in order to execute a court reporting job accurately and intelligently.
- There is a growing demand for court reporters. California court reporters have the advantage of living in one of the most litigious states in the country. And as the number of court cases continues to grow, so too will the need for people to record them.
In fact, a nationwide study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that court reporting job openings will increase by 25% over the next several years.
Salaries and benefits for California court reporters
Some individuals shy away from the court reporting business because they mistakenly believe that the job does not pay a sufficient salary. In actuality, the average income of an accredited court reporter last year was almost $72,000.
Other growth areas in California court reporting
In addition to standard court reporting services, many other peripheral services are bringing about growth in the industry. In California, there has been a significant rise in the demand for real-time closed-captioning for the hearing impaired. This is a task perfectly suited for court reporters who are, by design, skilled at transposing the spoken word into text quickly and accurately.
Also, many non-legal-related fields are utilizing the skills of court reporters. Businesses throughout the state use court reporters at internal meetings, shareholder functions and other events where maintaining a written record of the proceedings is crucial.
A challenging field to enter
Court reporters must undergo rigorous training before they can begin their careers. In fact, the challenging nature of this training is one reason why court reporters are in such high demand. According to several sources, as many as half of those individuals who begin training as a court reporter drop out before their education is complete.
But for those who stick with it, the benefits can be considerable. And the difficultly of the training process insures that every law firm who requests a California court reporter is getting a high-quality individual who will be able to execute the job with proficiency and professionalism.
