Career Information

Court Reporting | CART | Captioning | Links

Are you a good listener? Do you like a warm cup of tea and true crime podcasts? Are you always catching spelling errors in books? Then court reporting might be for you. 

Whether you’re interested in playing a role in the wheel of justice or providing accessibility via captioning or CART, most stenographers in Alberta get their start at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) where you will begin with Discover Steno and graduate with machine shorthand skills at 225 words per minute at 95 percent accuracy.

Court Reporting

Court reporters use their technical skills to create a verbatim (word-for-word) transcript of legal and quasi-legal proceedings using a combination of machine shorthand and computer-aided transcription (CAT).  They may provide realtime verbatim reporting services on request.  They are responsible for certifying the complete and accurate record of the proceedings.  Court reporters who are members of the ASRA and work in Alberta are also expected to obtain and maintain their Commissioner for Oaths certification, as they may also be required to swear in witnesses and mark exhibits.

In Alberta, most court reporters are self-employed but obtain their work through a court reporting firm.  Their work takes place in the form of pre-trial proceedings, typically at a lawyer’s office in a boardroom or from a home office via remote proceedings; court proceedings, typically at a Provincial Courthouse at the Court of King’s Bench level; or hearing and tribunal proceedings, which can take place in a variety of settings or from a home office via remote proceedings.

CART

CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) benefits people who are late-deafened, oral deaf, hard of hearing, or who have cochlear implants.  Unlike computerized notetaking or abbreviation systems which summarize information for consumers, CART provides a complete translation of all spoken words and environmental sounds, empowering individuals to decide for themselves what information is important to them.

Our members use a steno machine, a computer, and realtime software to provide instant speech-to-text translation on display for the benefit of an individual or a large group in a variety of settings, which can include classrooms, board meetings, government assemblies, concerts or conventions, courtrooms, medical offices, et cetera. 

A CART captioner’s training in conveying a speaker’s message, complete with environmental cues, makes them sensitive to the varying needs of the individual.  These services can be provided both in person at the venue or remotely.

Captioning

Broadcast captioners provide realtime translation of television programs broadcast in Canada and beyond, translating the spoken word into captions that appear on a television screen simultaneously with the audio.

Broadcast captioning benefits a broad range of viewers, whether it be the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community, newcomers to Canada, or those who want to follow along when audio is not available or in loud environments that may be disruptive.

Broadcast captioners use a shorthand machine, computer, and realtime software to translate the spoken word to on-screen captions.  Captioners have the proper training and experience to provide accurate captions at speeds that can exceed 225 words per minute to ensure viewers are receiving fair translations.  

Broadcast captioners typically prepare for their jobs by researching and creating job dictionaries relevant to the program they are broadcasting.  This can include buzzwords featured in the news, names of sporting and/or public figures, and terminology that is popular in the lexicon of a specific sport, hobby, or genre. 

Links

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NCRA-Accredited Programs