Nothing can replace hands-on training in an environment that touches on all phases of captioning, from one-on-one training in writing style, dictionary development, accuracy, research and preparation, and file review, to a complete hands-on look at the running of a captioning company that works with production coordinators, offline captioners, information technology specialists, and broadcast engineers.

The skilled writing and captioning technology training that our in-house captioning experts provide is unequalled by any you can receive in school or through mentorship.

If you are a qualified student with an interest in captioning and the ability to relocate, I would highly recommend an in-house position. The minimum two-year employment requirement for in-house positions is a small investment compared to a chance to learn expertise that can ensure a successful career. Many students and working reporters have relocated to the Pittsburgh area for two years or longer, only to return home or relocate elsewhere in the country. The skills they take with them will last a professional lifetime.

You've got to be good, and you've got to be trained in captioning. Approximately 99 percent of all captioner applicants want to work remotely. So, among hundreds of students and working reporters trying to land remote captioning jobs, you have to be a stand-out.

At present, VITAC does not hire independent contractors. Due to the high-profile nature of our work for national networks, VITAC must to train its captioners in new software and technical procedures and maintain exceptionally high standards. We must have the legal capacity to provide that training without fear of violating independent contractor laws.

The greatest benefits are upgraded training, the guarantee of a minimum number of program hours and, probably most important to the new captioner, the ongoing technical support, for both equipment and software, that we provide.

In addition, as an employee, you are eligible for company benefits such as health insurance (including vision and dental care) plus life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and a 401(k) program.

VITAC provides its employees with all necessary equipment and software.

One thing that a captioner's job is not is a nine-to-five routine. Many reporters say they want to work when their kids are in school. Join the club! The average reporter is 30 to 45 years old and has school-age children. Your schedule will vary and will also depend on your skill level and the available work. You will probably write fewer hours as a new hire than you will as an experienced captioner.

Schedules for VITAC captioners are set four times a year. You will bid on a 15-hour block of time that will be set for approximately 12 weeks, lending some semblance of order to your work life. You may choose additional hours to make up your 22-hour weekly minimum or request as many total hours as VITAC’s schedule allows.

Although we will train you in all types of programming (including news, sports, entertainment, and finance), your programming assignments will be limited in number and type. As a new captioner, you will devote at least an hour to prep and postmortem work before and after each hour of programming. Your preparation time will diminish as you gain experience and become more confident in the depth of your dictionary.

At VITAC, yes. Due to heavy weekend demand for our services, all captioners are required to work at least one weekend day.

Count on it. Think about it: television is always on. More live programming is broadcast on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas than on any other days of the year. Holidays are occasions for many special broadcasts – such as Bowl games and parades – and the news is broadcast every day of the year.

For a beginning captioner, this would not be advisable. Unless you're easing into captioning by working less than about five hours a week, you need to realize that captioning is one thing, but captioning well is quite another. Captioning well requires complete focus to prepare for your program hours, caption them, and do the appropriate follow-through. At VITAC, we always say you must respect the art of captioning before you can take it on. Curiously, we often get calls from reporters who say, "I want to wind down my career. I think I'll caption." Others say, "I'm not yet qualified to do court reporting. I think I'll start captioning." Reporters must realize that captioning requires the performance of top-notch skills for a very unforgiving audience.

Your earnings will depend on the number of hours that you caption. The range of hourly fees varies widely, depending on the type of program that you are captioning, your experience level, and the company for whom you are working. When interviewing with a potential employer, get an idea of the number of hours you can expect per week, the times of day you will work, and the overflow you can expect beyond your normal schedule. Your hourly rate will go a lot farther as you gain experience, begin to invest less time in prep before the show and file review after it.

No, not with VITAC. We expect all of our captioners to master all types of programming, and we consider it our responsibility to train you in all areas. Remember that you greatly increase your flexibility and availability if you can caption all kinds of programming.