Daniella Peter, an intern from Mountain Top University, Ibafo, Ogun State, writes on the need for students to get practical media training before graduating.
More than ever before, training in practical media skills is necessary for students studying mass communication, rather than courses focusing too much on theory.
Being a good journalist takes determination, the ability to source news, authenticity, and accuracy, and not just writing for fun.
Writing should inform and educate the audience on the issues occurring in society.
There are three things a beginner journalist needs to know: how to write, speak, and listen, because these are what make you stand out more than someone who just writes on social media.
A trained journalist who verified his findings is able to know which news is fake.
Institutions are supposed to lay the foundation for practical aspects of mass communication because if they don’t, students would not have the required skills to enter the media industry.
They will be clueless about what to do, and various media organisations won’t have the time to train them from scratch.
What I advise schools to do is to take their students to media organisations to learn the skills. They will meet experienced professionals to inspire them on why they are mass communicators.
As a mass communicator, you must be ready to face anything that comes your way.
That is why you must be prepared because you can be asked to give details of the interview you conducted.
Good public speaking is essential because if you learn this, coming out to face the audience won’t be a problem.
In conclusion, if you want to work in the media industry, you must be determined to learn about other sectors of mass communication. Not just journalism, but public relations, advertising and digital marketing.