Judicial Reporting helps student out of rut to achieve dream career

Callie Sajdera ‘18 was in a self-proclaimed rut career-wise when she first came to Anoka Technical College and started the Judicial Reporting program. The college and program were “a breath of fresh air” for Sajdera.  

Through many memorable experiences and some challenges, Sajdera benefited most from the one-on-one experiences with her instructors and small class sizes at the college. But, she also recognizes her own dedication that contributed to her success.

“A challenge for me while choosing to attend Anoka Tech was the location. Coming from Wisconsin, rent was really cheap and rent in the neighboring areas was much more than what I could afford,” said Sajdera. “But I made the commitment and drove the more than two hours one way twice a week for classes. If I was going to be making that long drive twice every week, I knew I had to be 110% committed to finishing this program.”

“The hours and dedication putting in on my writer is what contributed to my success,” reflected Sajdera. “Being able to communicate with my teachers outside of class also was a huge factor. They were full of positivity and encouragement when I needed it the most.”

Sajdera quickly found that a career in court reporting is full of endless opportunities. Today she’s working in what she considers a dream job as an official court reporter for the 2nd Judicial District in Denver; one of the largest counties in the U.S. 

“My favorite thing about being a court reporter is that your progress never stops unless you want it to stop. I love seeing where I was even a year ago and seeing exponential improvement in my abilities,” said Sajdera.

Sajdera shared her top three reasons for considering a career in court reporting, “from my perspective, the work is meaningful, the job is portable, and we are in high demand!”

Interested in learning more about Court Reporting and Captioning? Attend one of the upcoming virtual events or introductory courses:

• Social Steno Zoom Gala, Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6 pm. 
• Virtual Information Session, April 5 from 6 to 8 pm.
• Free A to Z Intro to Steno Class, every Monday from April 5-May 10, 6 to 8 pm. 

All program and event information can be found at AnokaTech.edu/ProgramsCourses/AdminMgmt/JudicialReporting