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Chimniak Court Reporting & Video, Inc., an independently run Chicago-based court reporting firm, has recently joined an elite group of court reporting agencies in the Chicago area. The company’s president, Robin Chimniak, became a member of a team partnering with MacCormac College in the school’s mentoring program. This team will be a guiding light for mentoring students from the Chicago Loop-based college as they work through their final goals for the career ahead.
The mentoring program at MacCormac has become an integral part of the court reporting education program, similar to summer associate work for lawyers or internship work for architects. Students need to be close to their testing speed of 225 words per minute to participate in the minimum one semester mentoring process. During the term of the program, mentees work at the reporting agency and learn about the process of a deposition, court proceeding, et cetera, from beginning to end, as well as attending as many types of proceedings as possible, while “shadowing” the certified reporter. The shadowing process includes sitting with the certified reporter during the proceeding and writing the proceeding on their steno machines.
When asked her thoughts about the mentor/mentee program, Ms. Chimniak said, “Not only are we supporting and promoting the longevity of our industry, but we are providing today’s talent with the experience they need to carry them into tomorrow and beyond.”
Ms. Chimniak also commented on the need to help these accomplished students achieve their final goal of becoming a court reporter. She cited the Court Reporting Industry Outlook Report, commissioned by the National Court Reporters Association, which found a 260 court reporter shortfall in Illinois, and how important mentoring is in keeping students on track during the final portion of their education. Chimniak added, “The mentoring program provides much needed support at the point when things become most difficult for the students, as they prepare to take their state and national testing.”
Though court reporting is still a viable and sustainable career, many prospects fear technology will shorten their careers, which causes qualified candidates to shy away from the court reporting field. As the average age of today’s working reporters is increasing, a diminishing number of students are enrolling into the program. Ms. Chimniak feels MacCormac’s fight is helping to overcome this battle.
Interested parties can visit https://chimniakcourtreporting.com to reach out to Chris Kauffmann, office manager, for more information.
Release ID: 316610