Career in Media - Uni or TAFE? (1 Viewer)

[*rUsTy*]

I know this might have been mentioned in older topics, but all I really need is a summaried reply. I want to do a Media and Communications course to get a good job in the Media industry - which career, I'm not sure yet.

Not only am I wary of how easy it is to get a job in the Media due to it's competitiveness, but am also worried that if I don't go to University, I won't have the the same chances of getting a good career in comparison to TAFE.

I personally feel I NEED to go to Uni and my careers teacher seems to think it's the only and best option although she did suggest TAFE as a springboard into Uni.

So for those who can help, here are some questions.

*Is it possible to obtain a good career in varied sections of Media if I don't go to University and instead go to TAFE?
*Is it a good idea to use TAFE as a possible entry into University?
*Do all employers and careers in media REALLY prefer a University degree?
*If I chose TAFE, would the studies be as comprehensive as Uni in regards that it covers more than the popular Journalism aspect?

That's all for now, if I think of any more I'll add them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kami]

I will be very blunt - your careers advisor is an idiot. People go into media careers from law degrees, arts degrees, education degrees, theatre degrees, commerce degrees and so on. It isn't really a barrier if you don't go to uni and get a communications degree. What you DO need (and desperately so if you want a job) is experience - I have friends in second year arts with average marks who already work for and earn money as journalists. There are also people in my communications degree who before they started the degree already had jobs in the area. Your job prospects will not plummet without a uni degree in communications, it might surprise you but TAFE communications students also have higher graduate employment rates than uni students on average.

If you studied at TAFE your studies would both be more and less diverse than at university - you'd study a general communication diploma where you'd study a bit of everything in the general sense but really only with a journalism focus. It also only goes for one year so you'd probably cover less ground but it is very intensive.

Uni on the other hand is much slower, goes for three years, has less industrial experience but more diversity in subjects and specialisations.

 

[shimmy&shine]

I agree with kami, and especially what he says about the importance of experience.

If your focus is getting a job in the media industry, and you REALLY do want it, you should be looking for experience in the industry. I'm a first year journalism student and through hard work got a media job and walked into a newsroom for work experience the day after a came back from schoolies. I was then offered an internship, etc.

Other first years in my course alrady have jobs, one is working for Fairfax, another is a tv presenter, people in 2nd year have got great paying freelance journo jobs, whilst others continue doing work experience at all the papers, tv networks, magazines, etc.

Experience is so important. When you go for a job, your degree is going to be good enough because several hundred people will have a smiliar degree as well. It's the experience you have.

Get a head start and call around and organise work experience at different media outlets and see whether this is your dream and you know this is the area you want to pursue in. Forget about the people telling you it's too hard to get a job because it's so competitive (although stay realistic), if you want it, and if you're good at it, you'll get it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, people who haven't even graduated have already found jobs in the media industry. Uni media studies will help you learn those skills and apply them, whilst learning the theory behind it, for a longer period of time. I'm not sure about TAFE, so i don't think i can answer your other questions, but don't underestimate experience.

Good luck for the HSC! and, btw, talk to people, call people you know in the industry, and ask them to question employers about their preferences when employing people, etc.

 

[chilena4life]

although i agree with the fact that experience wins at the end of the day....

degrees are also highly regarded and in some cases employers pay more if you have a degree....

it isnt essential but it helps to get you onto the pile of other resumes who may be considered for jobs....

 

[cbadvanced]

all bs, im writing this from a studio and i didnt go to uni or tafe

UNI IS BS EXCEPT FOR SCIENCE/MEDICAL DEGREES

 

[NorthWestClouds]

I'm doing a BA in Television Production at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga.

EVERYONE who graduates gets a job. EVERYONE who gets a job progress high enough as they ambition.

Proof? Find anyone in Television who's a CSU Alumini and ask them.


*rUsTy*, if you need more info, drop me a PM and I'll answer any question or get you some more info.

 

[RogueAcademic]

I personally feel I NEED to go to Uni and my careers teacher seems to think it's the only and best option although she did suggest TAFE as a springboard into Uni.

I agree, your careers teacher is an idiot who seems to be only interested in sending as many students to uni so her numbers look good on her resume. She doesn't seem to understand the media industry where experience is the overriding factor. If journalism is your aim, you should know that many journalists have a uni degree but a lot of them couple that with experience and many of their inroads were made via contacts during their studies. A degree in professional writing/communications/public relations may also help but again it's work experience and examples of previous work that will gain you a way in and instill confidence in your quality of work.

 

[cbadvanced]

EVERYONE who graduates gets a job. EVERYONE who gets a job progress high enough as they ambition.

Proof? Find anyone in Television who's a CSU Alumini and ask them.

the main reason for this is because of the fact that there is an actual shortage of people entering the media industry in Australia overall...

Why is this? Because of the stupid stereotype that there is no future in the media industry hence nobody is even trying to enter it!

and also about your TAFE/Uni question, it does not matter. Go where you WANT to go and feel comfortable going to. I assure you it does not matter where you go, what matters in the end is how much you get out of the course. All the courses are pretty standard and everyone will be teaching similar if not the same stuff.

 

[cbadvanced]

degrees are also highly regarded and in some cases employers pay more if you have a degree....

that is not so true, it is experience that matters not the degree