Sitting out

[Kyung]

Here in California, in order to sit for the licensing test, we have to compelet 50 hours of apprenticeship. That could be divided any way we want. 25 in court, 25 in depos. But at least a minimum of 10 in one or the other. Whatever school you go to usually provides you w/a list of reporters/agencies that are willing to have you sit out.

I see posts on here asking to sit out with people. So how do other states handle sitting out? Do you have a list?

Just interested in th training and education practices in other states.

Thanks.

[Patricia Babits]

Kyung, I went to school in California, and they didn't offer any help in getting us reporters to sit with.

[Kyung]

Really!! I'm kind of shocked. I went to SCCCR, and when it came time to sit out, there was a list of agencies that we could as well as officials. What school did you go to?

[Kyung]

Maybe things have changed since I graduated. Maybe some of our student members will chime in.

[Patricia Babits]

I went to College of Marin Indian Valley in Novato.

[Kyung]

Interesting. I dunno. I thought it was a list put out by the CSR Board, so everyone should have access to it.

[Patricia Babits]

Now it is coming back to me, I think. The director said some of the reporters on the list he got were too cranky and negative, and he figured it was better to just let the students choose on their own since that's what we'd have to do once we got our license anyway. I think that's what happened.

[Kyung]

Well, that is a big bummer. And that's too bad about the firms in that area in Tennessee not wanting students to sit out. If we don't let students sit out w/us, how are we going to grow the profession?

[Kyung]

Well, I am a little disheartened about the responses.

I can't believe our students aren't getting the help they need.

[Patricia Babits]

The first agency I called was super nice to me. The reporter I sat with was awesome and even offered to go through my transcripts. They were great at court also. Some of the older reporters were maybe not super enthusiastic, but they were not negative or unhelpful.

I thought it was okay finding the reporters on my own because the school is not going to help you find work when you finish, unless you go to a tech school where that's part of their responsibility.

[Karen Margolis]

I went to South Coast as well. A list of reporting agencies in the area was distributed, but that was the extent of their "help." I never did get a response from any of the agencies I contacted from that list. Thankfully, I met a court reporter through my son's daycare program at the time, and she was more than willing to have me sit out with her.