MASTERCLASSES

Monday, 5 January 2009

Graduating without the right skills

Here's a sobering comment, on Poynter, from a journalism student who is about to graduate:

"I feel as though the industry I've been preparing to enter has changed drastically since the time I began college. The demands on reporters, as I see them, seem to lean toward someone who is at least competent in new media forms -- video, photography, audio, web production. My internships have put me somewhat in touch with what to expect, but at my most recent one I saw 10 people get fired on my last day. It was a chilling scene to leave with, and none too encouraging. My journalism department is working to restructure its program to better prepare students, but I'll be graduating as a product of the old model that didn't incorporate much multimedia training."

It's a challenge to the journalism training industry - me included - not to let this situation persist.

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