Officialship Training Program
ENROLLMENT IS OPEN!
Deadline to apply is March 15, 2025.
Court Reporting Services is offering an in-person, tuition-free training program to become an Official Court Reporter, with guaranteed job placement upon passing the required certification exam.
The Officialship Training Program (OTP) is a two-year, tuition-free academic commitment.
Details below!
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Deadline to apply is March 15, 2025.
What is an
OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER?
An Official Court Reporter works in a courthouse and is highly trained and skilled to capture every word spoken during court proceedings, through the use of a technologically-advanced stenographic machine, and transforms the proceedings into an official certified transcript.
Court reporters are known as "guardians of the record."
About the program...
PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
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Applicants will be selected for inclusion in the program.
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The projected timeline of the course is two (2) years. (Since students progress at varying rates, there is no guarantee the student will achieve the required speed level for testing during that timeframe.)
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The program will be taught by licensed court reporters or individuals approved by Court Reporting Services.
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Students will be required to attain the minimum certification for employment eligibility by passing the Court Reporting Services’ Part-A exam.
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The individual must then remain employed with Court Reporting Services for at least two (2) years, in return for the tuition-free training, and pursue unrestricted licensure.
FALL CLASS START DATES:
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Urbana (Champaign County): September 8, 2025
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Wheaton (DuPage County): September 15, 2025
FALL CLASS SCHEDULE:
PROGRAM TIMELINE:
Stage 1: Machine shorthand theory is estimated to be taught in five months.
Stage 2: Speedbuilding will begin after theory, until certification is attained.
Estimated program timeline: Two (2) years
PROGRAM LOCATION:
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Urbana: Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana, IL
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Wheaton: DuPage County Courthouse, Wheaton, IL
PROGRAM PROVISIONS:
Please read the program provisions very carefully. This is a training program. Students will be treated as a trainee and must adhere to strict provisions regarding absences and tardiness to ensure successful
completion of the program.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
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Those interested in the program must apply by submitting the Application Form & Assessment Test packet (at the bottom of this page). The packet must be emailed to Training@ilcrs.com by March 15, 2025.
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Potential candidates will be selected from the submitted applications to attend a mandatory Information and Evaluation Workshop.
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Students applying to the Urbana program will attend the workshop at the Court Reporting Services' office in Springfield, Illinois, on April 12, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Students applying to the Wheaton program will attend the workshop at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton, Illinois, on May 9, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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During the workshop, potential candidates will receive in-depth information about the program and an introductory stenographic training.
- Following the workshop, a final selection of individuals will be made. The selected candidates will receive an offer to participate in the program via phone call and will have a deadline in which to accept or reject the offer. If the offer is accepted, the candidate must make arrangements with Court Reporting Services to sign the contractual agreement associated with the program.
PROGRAM CURRICULUM:
Curriculum will include, but not be limited to:
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Machine Shorthand Theory (Stenograph Theory for Court Reporting)
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Speedbuilding
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Transcript Preparation
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Software Training
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English/Grammar
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Legal/Medical Terminology
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Courtroom Procedures
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Administrative Regulations for Court Reporting Services' Employees in the Illinois Courts
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Code of Conduct for Court Reporting Services' Employees
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Standards for the Security of the Official Court Record
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Internships and onsite training (subject to location)
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Exam Preparation
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Guest Speakers
Equipment Required - ** Purchased by Student **
While the program tuition is free, there will be some costs required for each student. Selected candidates will receive guidance as to all purchases.
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Steno writer and software through Stenograph
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Both rent and one-time payment options will be available.
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Audio dictation material through MyRealtimeCoach
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Phase 1 (Theory) - $42 per month per student
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Phase 2 (Speedbuilding) - $62 per month per student
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The Steno Machine
Also known as a stenotype, stenographic machine or writer, this magic machine allows one to type over 300 words per minute by keystroking words phonetically.
The Steno Keyboard
Application Instructions for our Tuition-Free Officialship Training Program
Step 1 of 2 (typing test)
Please read through the instructions before taking the typing test.
1. Click the image or this link to begin your typing test.. www.typingtest.com
2. Click on START TEST.
3. Start typing.
4. Click on SHOW RESULT.
5. >skip ad
6. Make a note of your Typing Speed, Accuracy, and Net Speed to insert on your application form in Step 2 of 2.
Note: You can retake the typing test as many times as you would like. You need only one score of 50 words per minute or above to qualify for this training program.
Step 2 of 2 (application form)
Please read through the instructions before filling out the form.
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Click the image or this link to fill out the Application Form & Assessment Test.
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Save the completed form to your computer, with your last and first name as the file name of the document.
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Email your form as an attachment to Training@ilcrs.com by: March 15, 2024 (Fall class starts September 8, 2025 in Urbana and September 15, 2025 in Wheaton.)
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