By Deidra M. Lemons

"I didn't know anything about court reporters other than what I had seen on TV, so I asked her all kinds of questions and she told me she went to school at Prince Institute," Hudson said.

"After that, I decided I would visit the school and find out more about the degree you had to earn to become a court reporter."

Hudson turned her curiosity into a career choice and today is one of almost one hundred students enrolled in Prince Institute's certified court reporting programs.

On Wednesday, Hudson and her classmates learned more about the court reporting profession, career options and earning potential during the school's first Open House and Career Day.

The career fair brought legal professionals from central Alabama together to talk about their professions and the industry.

Prince Institute - a small, private school that opened 27 years ago in Montgomery - offers associate degrees in court reporting, advanced medical transcription and information processing and certificates in medical transcription.

Owner Pat Hill said the industry has changed dramatically over the years.

"There is a national need for certified court reporters but not enough skilled workers to meet that demand," said Hill.

"Because we are one of the older, established and accredited schools, I get calls from all over the states from firms looking for our reporters."

With the high demand for court reporters comes great salaries, said Jennifer Warren, director of admissions for Prince Institute.

Salaries range from $40,000 to $70,000.

"When some people hear about court reporting, they think it is a secretary job and they don't see that you can easily support a family in this profession," Warren said.

One of the major changes in the field is the telecommunications act of 1996, in which the FCC mandates that by 2006 all new broadcasting must be closed captioned.

"Court reporters are not only in the courtroom" said Karen Brock Reagan, a Montgomery business owner and Alabama Court Reporter Association board member.

"When a student is hearing impaired, we go into the classroom and assist with note taking and tests and lectures.

We are also the people who type the words for the closed

To meet this mandate, Hill said Prince Institute is lobbying for a million dollar federal grant to teach more courses in closed captioning.

"We must prepare our students for the workforce and give them the skills they need to accept jobs throughout the field," Hill said.

Technology also has played a vital role in the evolution of the industry, said Suzanne Frazier, a Birmingham association board member.

"Comparing then to know is like typing on an old Royal typewriter compared to using the latest software and computer programs available," Frasier said.