Alyson Duclos Joins W&R!

Wood & Randall is proud to welcome Taft College at WESTEC’s first graduate, Alyson Duclos.  Since Christine Randall has been on the WESTEC board since the court reporting program began, the story below about Alyson is particularly exciting:

In the Fall of 2007, Taft College began a process to establish a new court reporting school in the public school system.  At the time, there were only 7 public schools and 8 private schools offering court reporting in the state.  Any school that applies to the state to offer court reporting must first be given provisional recognition for a specific amount of time.  To gain provisional recognition, the college must go through a thorough, rigorous organizational process including the creation of community college-level academic courses in order to be allowed to offer court reporting.

In order to gain full recognition, the school must provide evidence of at least one person who successfully attends and completes the entire course of study established by the board for that new school.  That person must be issued a certificate to practice shorthand reporting.

On February 27, 2013, a Taft College at WESTEC court reporting program student, Alyson Duclos, became that person.  She completed the full course of study in a little over 3 years and earned a Certificate in Court Reporting from Taft College.  Following receipt of her license, Alyson has been working as a Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) in the Kern County area reporting hearings and depositions on a steady basis.

In early March of 2013, based on Alyson’s academic accomplishments, an application was made to the California Court Reporters Board for full recognition as a certified court reporting school

On Friday, March 29, 2013, at the Court Reporters Board meeting held in Los Angeles, a motion was made, seconded and carried unanimously to grant full recognition to the Taft College at WESTEC court reporting program.

This is a major milestone for a new court reporting program.  Based on the fact that there is a nationwide shortage of certified shorthand reporters, this type of affordable career training is vital, especially at the local area.