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How do you become a reporter?

In summary parliament :

Steps to becoming a machine shorthand reporter
A career in reporting
Career choices
Technique
Reporting schools

Steps to becoming a machine shorthand reporter

1. Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites to train as a reporter but a year 11 or 12 qualification is desirable. Basic typing skills and a thorough understanding of language and grammar are an advantage.

2. Talk to an experienced reporter or SRAA committee member to find out more about this unique career opportunity.

3. Find a school that meets your needs.
Machine shorthand reporting can be learnt part-time, by correspondence or even over the internet at the government-sponsored Sydney Institute or privately operated schools in Adelaide and Sydney.

For information about part-time or even internet study to become a reporter or captioner, contact one of these schools, or an SRAA committee member:

Australian School of Court Reporting - www.ascr.com.au
National College of Court Reporting - (08) 8523-5517
TAFE - Sydney Institute - (02) 9217-5182 www.sit.nsw.edu.au

4. For continued motivation and support, join the SRAA and enjoy membership benefits.

A career in reporting

If you like writing and language arts, and are looking for a rewarding profession with outstanding salary potential and the chance to be where the news is being made, then consider machine shorthand reporting.

Top salaries	Influence	Prestige	National accreditation
Income potential is limited only by the time you invest. Reporters can earn between $45 000 and $100 000. Freelance and employee opportunities exist.	Shorthand reporters play an important role in the accurate and timely reporting of the events that shape business, law and politics.	In the courtroom, Parliament or the conference room the shorthand reporter is needed. As a member of a respected profession, your unique skills are in demand.	Reporters in Australia are accredited under a national accreditation scheme sponsored by the SRAA.

Career choices

Investigate our site pages on court reporting, parliamentary reporting and captioning. These are the major areas of employment for shorthand reporters.

text entry specialist Other than court reporting, parliamentary reporting and captioning in particular, many opportunities exist for reporters to obtain a client base in any field of reporting - that is, on any occasion when a transcript is required.

Reporters may also work as rapid text entry specialists, working in a business environment. Using machine shorthand, data can be keyed into computer databases two or three times faster than traditional methods. If you prefer transcription and editing to reporting, or are still training to be a reporter, you can work as a proofreader or scopist.

Technique

Shorthand reporters record the spoken word in parliamentary and court proceedings, meetings and conferences. In training to be a shorthand reporter, you will learn to use a shorthand machine. Its unique keyboard allows you to write shorthand notes based on the English alphabet to enable easy reading and translation.

Today's shorthand machines record electronically and are used with computers and software technology for fast and efficient translation and editing of notes. See our Technique page for more details.

Reporting schools

Shorthand reporting can be learnt full-time, part-time or by correspondence at government-sponsored and privately operated schools in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. There are no educational prerequisites to train as a reporter, but a year 11 or 12 qualification is desirable. Basic typing skills and a thorough understanding of language and grammar are an advantage.

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