I started the Captioning and Court Reporting program at NAIT in 2011 after completing my B.A. in 2008. I was passionate about learning to write on the machine and honing my editing skills. School was all-consuming to say the least, and at the same time, I was managing a 4 and 6-year-old and a husband. Nerissa and I had talked about starting a partnership after I finished school.
Skip to the end of year 2, 2013, I was on the lower end of the speed scale but still very motivated to finish. It was during this time that I started proofreading. I enjoyed the editing part of this profession.
Over the next three years, I went back to my pre-school job to help pay for con ed, but that just reinforced that that is not what I wanted to do with my life. In June of 2015, I left that position and started scoping. I was still focused on finishing my speeds, getting out of school, and starting a career as a court reporter.
The financial burden of school and the emotional impact led me to step away from school and find my “happiness” again. I went back again to my pre-school position to assist with the family finances. During this time, Nerissa proposed that we start our partnership, even though I wasn’t done school. She was looking to gain some time back, and I was looking to quit my current position and work in my preferred field.
I can say that this was the best decision I could have made, and I haven’t been this happy in a long time. I really have a passion for the editing part of the job, and it gives me the flexibility I was looking for as a court reporter.
I don’t have any regrets about going to school or where I ended up. It all led me to where I am today. Working directly with Nerissa has made this stay-at-home job less isolated. And it was a win-win situation for both of us.
I have a huge respect for the training and work court reporters do. I treat every job I do as if my name was going on it.
~ Don’t wait for opportunity; create it ~