The new year of the new decade has kicked off nicely for two keen job-seeking UQ Bachelor of Journalism graduates who have been accepted into the Courier-Mail’s inaugural journalism trainee program.
The 2009 graduates put their success down to doing as much work experience as they could fit into their studies and personal life and multi-skilling across media platforms including text, radio, television, photography, and online.
“Getting in the industry and compiling a portfolio is the most important thing you can do if you want to be a journalist,” says Anthony Templeton who did exactly that during his internship placements in Adelaide at The Advertiser and ABC TV’s Stateline.
Anthony ultimately wants to be a state political or business reporter but at the moment is busy completing his internship and experiencing getting what is regarded as a “dream’ job in Queensland’s tight-knit media world.
“The great thing about work experience is that you can see how the things you study can apply to the workplace. Study is great and putting into practice is even better.”
Classmate Jason Tin was “bowled over” when contacted by the Courier Mail to arrange a traineeship interview.
“Then when I got the call to let me know I’d been accepted into the program, I was ecstatic. All my worries about finding work pretty much disappeared over a thirty second phone call,” he says.
Jason, who completed his internship at ABC Far North agrees that balancing studies with work experience gave him a big advantage.
“Never underestimate the power of work experience and internships. No one’s going to pay you until you’re worth getting paid.”
Jason and Anthony begin their traineeships in Brisbane later this month and both are looking forward to "wearing the soles off their shoes" doing the hard yards as daily news reporters.
However, in the age of convergence the Courier-Mail traineeship will also give them plenty of experience in the world of online newsgathering.
Recent UQ journalism graduates have also won jobs across Queensland and beyond including Canberra, Tweed Heads, Gold Coast, Roma, Longreach, Port Douglas, Brisbane, Rockhampton, Bundaberg and Gladstone.
Media: John Austin School of Journalism and Communication Journalist in Residence 07 334 68237
