Media students channel focus on journalism career during radio visit

Media students channelled their focus on a career in radio during a visit to one of the UK’s top broadcasters. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ahead of Student Volunteering Week, which begins on Monday, the 14-strong group from Wrexham Glyndŵr University visited BBC Radio Merseyside. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as touring the studios and watching the presenters and production team in action, they were given training, tips and tricks on how best to use social media and an insight into how the station works day-to-day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With support from the ADOR project – which aims to support students through university and into employment – and the institution’s careers department, the budding journalists also enjoyed a media workshop. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Encouraged by Janet Jones, Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media Communications, students Molly Hookings and Freyer Howells wrote a blog on their experiences and explained how volunteering can help you on the path to your chosen career. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Getting a job in the media can be tricky, and voluntary work can be a great way of cutting your teeth,” they wrote. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Not just through unpaid internships, either — the BBC and other big media organisations have been cracking down on those for years — but by getting stuck in to volunteering opportunities in your local community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Pauline McAdam, assistant manager at BBC Radio Merseyside, told us that she’d never have built a career in radio if it wasn’t for the real world experience she gained as a volunteer.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​