TAFT COLLEGE AT WESTEC court reporting program

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 BEGINNING THEORY 
STARTS JANUARY 21, 2020

If you are interested in the Court Reporting program, please contact:

Gary Shaw

Program Manager

(661) 387-1055, EXT 215 (OFFICE)

(661) 477-4922 (CELL)

for further information

 Court reporters, also called shorthand reporters, use a stenotype machine to record verbatim notes of court proceedings, depositions, hearings and meetings.  From these notes they produce accurate transcripts.

Court reporters report civil and criminal trials; freelance reporters report depositions, arbitrations, business and convention sessions.

Most reporters now use computer-aided transcription (CAT) where a digital record can be made on a disk or memory unit in addition to the standard paper tape.  This technology allows a translation of steno notes almost instantaneously, which, in turn, provides useful technological support and service to court systems and attorneys. 

 Interested individuals must be high school graduates (diploma or GED) and be able to type on a keyboard at least 35 words per minute (wpm). 

The first class taken in sequence for Court Reporting is Theory.  The Theory class is a structured course where students will learn how to write words in the English language using strokes on the steno machine. Students should be able to write between 40 and 60 wpm in steno at the completion of the course.

Upon successfully completing the Theory class, students will start Speed Building.  The Speed-Building courses are typically offered year-round.  The goal is to reach a speed of 225 to 240 wpm and qualify to take the State examinations.   

In order to qualify to take the State of California licensing tests, students must meet certain specific academic and skill-building hours through the Taft College at WESTEC court reporting program.

In order to become eligible to take the state licensing examinations for certified shorthand reporters, students must meet the following requirements -

 Requirement Hours Needed

English/Vocabulary            240

Medical                                    120

Transcript Procedures         25

Apprenticeship                      60

Technology                             60

Resource Materials                 5

Academic Hours                 660

Transcription Hours       2300

The above requirements can be met through taking certain academic (i.e. English, Business Law, Anatomy, etc) classes and core court reporting courses