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Yet another possible career I've considered lately is that of Braille Transcriptionist.
Our local community college offers a certificate program that is approximately one year in length.
I am having a very very hard time finding salary info pertaining to this career. I went to various school district websites, and jobs with the title (and same education) paid anywhere from $13 an hour to $20 an hour depending on location and apparently "just because" (i.e. similar location, wide range in pay).
It sounds like something I would actually like: rewarding, helping people, detail oriented, language oriented, and very often done remotely and from home (if you don't work for the government or a school district)... and supposedly it is a very in-demand position.
I am having trouble deciding though. I don't need to be rich and it's only a year of school, but I wouldn't be happy with just $13 an hour either I don't think, because I could make that now with my current skill level and no additional schooling.
Also, I have to consider that even though the course results in 37 credit hours, because it's not a degree program and all the courses are specific to the certificate program, I would not end up with many credits at all that would be applicable for a degree in the future (right?). I really want a degree, regardless of if I were to pursue this career field that doesn't generally require one. If it doesn't pay fabulously, I'd only be a little better off than I currently am and have student loans to boot.
On the other/other hand it sounds like an awesome job with a purpose....
Unfortunately, that was canceled this semester at NVC. Not enough interest in the program, I'm afraid. I've read up on it, and the story seems to be that most blind young people aren't even trying to learn Braille. It also takes a ton of work to translate a textbook for them, and often by the time one is finished, the info is dated. I've also heard that it's a tough career to make a living in--the equipment is expensive and there is just not enough demand for the job.
I, too, think it would be rewarding, but it doesn't seem like it is something that anyone is truly begging for.
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
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If you're interested in that, sign language interpreting may be something you want to look into. I used to work at a sign language interpreting agency. The freelance terps who worked with us made good money, roughly around $25-30 an hour for level one terps, IIRC, with the opportunity to make more depending on level of certification. You only need an associate's degree and to sit for the certification exam to get started.
Becoming an Interpreter - National Association of the Deaf (http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=180403 - broken link)
If you're interested in that, sign language interpreting may be something you want to look into. I used to work at a sign language interpreting agency. The freelance terps who worked with us made good money, roughly around $25-30 an hour for level one terps, IIRC, with the opportunity to make more depending on level of certification. You only need an associate's degree and to sit for the certification exam to get started.
Becoming an Interpreter - National Association of the Deaf (http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=180403 - broken link)
Thanks. They offer this program at a community college near me as well. Do you think they had enough work to keep at it full time? I hear it is very hard to learn but then again everything that interests me in the slightest seems to be very hard to learn so I guess that's the way it is. When I was 19 I wanted to major in Foreign Language which would have been just as challenging... if not more so depending on how many languages I had hoped to master.
Ahhh, to be 19 again, thinking you can conquer the WORLD!
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
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They are only out of work when they want to be due to federal and state legislation mandating the use of interpreters. You can work for or find gigs at schools, hospitals/doctor's offices, churches, courts, or video relay services like Sorenson. I don't know about the demand where you are, but here jobs are abundant.
They are only out of work when they want to be due to federal and state legislation mandating the use of interpreters. You can work for or find gigs at schools, hospitals/doctor's offices, churches, courts, or video relay services like Sorenson. I don't know about the demand where you are, but here jobs are abundant.
This sounds awesome. I don't know why I didn't consider it before. Fear I guess. I am totally open to moving to find work (want to leave Texas anyway) so that's not an issue. I'm going to check out the program here ASAP. I also considered a program we have here for court reporting / captioning for closed captioning TV and such. Hey, maybe I could do both.
Don't laugh, but my son mentioned teaching primates to sign, when I talked about this... I wonder if they hire someone to do this or if the scientists working with primates are in charge of it? I always thought that was awesome and I love animals.
Last edited by fierce_flawless; 09-28-2008 at 04:35 PM..
There is a 92% drop out rate for court reporting schools.
Wonder why? Do you know? My focus would be on the captioning aspect but pretty much the same program at school, at least at first.
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When I was 19 I wanted to major in Foreign Language which would have been just as challenging... if not more so depending on how many languages I had hoped to master. 
