HOBART | Josephine Ross had spent seven years working at a license bureau and knew it was time for her to change her career when she realized she could perform her work duties with her eyes closed.
"There was no chance for advancement," said Ross, 29, of Crown Point. "You just work the counter and work with customers. It wasn't challenging, anymore. I could be half asleep and do my job."
A friend suggested court reporting, because she worked at lightening-bolt speed.
"I typed so fast on the computer. I was fast waiting on customers. I did everything fast," she said.
She graduated this year from a three-year program of study at the College of Court Reporting and doubled her salary. She went to making $25 per hour from earning $12.75.
Time magazine ranked the industry 68th on its list of 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs Overall. Employment is projected to grow 25 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
CNNMoney.com profiled court reporting as a "Surprising 6-Figure Job," and the BLS reports the average wage range for trained workers is $45,610 to $77,700 per year.
Overtime and freelancing can take earnings to $100,000 and higher.
Court reporters continue to be the guardians of record in legal proceedings, but the biggest demand is beyond law.
Communication Access Realtime Transcription has opened opportunities in education, business, broadcasting and Web casting.
Ross is CART-certified and works with a hearing-impaired college student by capturing instruction and lectures and providing a transcript. Broadcast captioners use the real-time technology to convert speech to onscreen print.
Celebrating 25 years in business, College of Court Reporting founder Kay Moody, 71, of Valparaiso, began tutoring students in her house when a local school closed its doors. Today, the college occupies 5,000 square feet, which includes four classrooms at 111 W. 10th St. in Hobart.
Most students are from Lake and Porter counties, but there are some commuting from South Bend and Elkhart who have been laid off or displaced from the recreational vehicle industry. Additionally, there are students attending classes online from across the country.
Nicky Rodriquez, director of admissions, said most students are adults changing their careers, many who already have college degrees.
At one time there were four local schools, but Moody said she succeeded by reinvesting profits and keeping her overhead to a minimum. She never took a business loan and has never used a line of credit.
"We always were very conservative about overextending and buying stuff until we could afford to pay for it," she said.
"I think one of the biggest mistakes business owners make is thinking they should take their salary out first and not expenses. You can't open up a business and expect to get rich quickly."
The college also keeps its competitive edge by developing staff and investing in the latest technologies. "If you work hard to give the best service to your students, you will rise to the top," Moody said.
"We never anticipated closed-captioning technology would create demand in our field, so it was a pleasant surprise and a by-product of the skill a court reporter has."
College of Court Reporting
Type of business: Vocational and technical school
When opened: 1984
Phone: (219) 942-1459 or toll-free, (866) 294-3074
Owners: Kay Moody
Number of employees: 30
Web site: ccr.edu
