During our last school visit to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), NCRA was introduced to an outstanding student, Kenzie Pequin, who advanced in her court reporting education on a shorter timetable than most students do. We were impressed with her story and caught up recently to ask Pequin about her learning experience.
JCR | How did you come to court reporting?
Kenzie Pequin | When I graduated from high school, I tried my hand at Early Learning and Child Development at MacEwan University. Not long after completing the first year of that program, I wanted to explore something a bit more fast-paced. I then took the Emergency Communications and Response Program at MacEwan as well. During my time at that job, I became known for my speed on the keyboard. After three years of very intense night shifts, I decided to pursue something less mentally taxing and more behind the scenes. With my speedy fingers, mental stamina, and love for English, I stumbled upon NAIT’s Court Transcription Program while exploring their website and was instantly intrigued.
JCR | Tell us about your time at NAIT and about the court transcription and the captioning and court reporting programs you completed.
KP | These programs were a wonderful introduction into the world of stenography. I began my journey in January 2023 as an online student and began on campus in September 2023 for the second year. Throughout both years, I was introduced to machine shorthand theory, Case CATalyst software for producing transcripts, beginner to advanced English concepts, the legal system in Canada, professionalism in the workplace, and numerous other concepts to apply my skills in the workplace. I studied under several knowledgeable instructors who provided me with all the necessary tools to become a confident writer. The program was a lot of work, but every day I put in my best effort, which got me to where I am today.
JCR | What was the most challenging aspect of court reporting education?
KP | The most challenging part of the entire process was testing. Getting my brain into practice-and-testing mode, like learning to let go and just write, was a difficult but rewarding skill to learn. There were weeks I would fly through speeds and others where I wouldn’t pass at all. Thankfully, my instructors at NAIT were always there to encourage me and offer different ways to tackle a challenging speed, building a helpful toolbox to learn and plan what worked best for me to pass. Alongside their daily motivation, my peers were also incredibly uplifting and encouraging to each other. We definitely leaned on each other every day by celebrating our wins and laughing it off after a difficult test.
JCR | What do you think helped you finish the programs in a shorter time than usual?
KP | Having the opportunity to do both years back-to-back was incredibly helpful. I was able to keep my momentum when it came to my practice-and-testing routine with the short break between the programs. I completed my Emergency Communications and Response Program during COVID-19, so being online again and keeping myself on a schedule was a breeze. Of course, having such wonderful instructors and peers welcoming me in person at NAIT was very encouraging as well. At the end of the day, though, pushing myself to keep going is what ultimately helped me finish in the time frame I did. Even on the most difficult days, I put everything I could into my studies in order to graduate when I did with honors. I reminded myself that while every day might not be a pass, it’s an opportunity to better myself for the days that will be. This is an incredibly difficult skill to learn, so being a dedicated and diligent student while taking the time to be kind to myself also helped immensely.
JCR | Tell us about your practice routine. Any tips?
KP | My practice routine consisted of going over new briefs I learned that week before using the EV360 software to play difficult dictations in sections. I would start a section at an attainable speed, read my notes to see where most of my errors were accumulating, practice that spot, then try the section at a higher speed, and then back to my goal speed until I got it with little to no errors. My biggest tip for practicing is to be uncomfortable and try unattainable speeds. It helped me make my target speed sound slower. My biggest tip for testing is to try hyping yourself up before a test if you struggle with anxiety over it. I found playing my favorite hype-up playlist and taking a brisk walk before got my brain and fingers firing at the same speed, if not more, than the test. I always tried to make myself feel bigger than the test before going into it. Of course, don’t forget to breathe!
JCR | What is your advice to someone considering court reporting school?
KP | This is such a wonderful career, and I wish I would have started sooner. There is a lot to learn and put into practice each day, but with the right mindset and routine, this is attainable. This type of work requires lots of patience with yourself. Don’t expect perfection from yourself every day. Learn to be okay with making mistakes and failing so you can see where you need to grow and try from a different angle. The schooling for this career is heavily focused on an in-depth understanding of the English language, specialized software training, an understanding of the Canadian legal system, and then applying these skills to produce industry-standard transcripts. It is very hands-on. I would, of course, recommend NAIT as your go-to institution for this profession. Whether online or in person, there is no shortage of incredibly knowledgeable instructors on this niche skill ready to help you every step of the way to becoming a well-rounded and confident reporter!
JCR | What is your dream job or where do you see yourself in five years?
KP | I’d like to explore CART work or even captioning someday, so I could see myself in some sort of realtime position in the next few years if I worked towards it. I am enjoying writing questionings right now, so I could see that being something I possibly stick to as well. I think it would be great to even teach English someday!
JCR | Any closing thoughts?
KP | I would like to thank each of my instructors at NAIT for guiding and encouraging me to keep pushing during my time there. It takes a lot of patience from the student to learn, but also a great deal to keep one motivated and excited to learn, which every instructor did day in and out for me. I also want to thank all my friends I’ve made online and in person. They made it such a wonderful experience learning together and sharing tips on how to better ourselves. You become a tight-knit family with the people you are on this journey with, and I greatly appreciate every one of them. No matter where you are on your steno journey, whether on day one or your last speed test, be kind to yourself, learn as much as you can, and most importantly, don’t give up!
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