Sungduan: OJT

Thursday, February 9, 2012

GRADUATING Communication Arts and Journalism students in the locality will now have more opportunity to experience being real media practitioners and will even have bigger chance to land in employment by way of referrals right after their graduation. This is through the Philippine News Agency’s “Start ‘Em Young” On-The-Job Training (OJT) program.

In line with this, three Mass Communication students from the University of the Cordilleras were lucky to be given a chance to be part of the program with the formal acceptance of their application Wednesday morning at the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) office.

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No less than News and Information Bureau Media Accreditation and Relations officers Nitz Castillo and Wilma Padrones with PNA Baguio City Bureau Chief Atty. Aurelio Galacgac together with CAS Dean Miriam Janeo lead the signing of acceptance for the OJT of Nikki Pangilinan, Allan Julius Bergonio, and Allen Gamueta.

Janeo said the program is a very good exposure for the students. “Maganda ang programa. It is very encouraging on the part of the students because they will be exposed to real-life media experience where they can develop skills in news writing and covering news,” Janeo said.

The OJT program being implemented by the Presidential Communications Operations Office-News and Information Bureau (PCOO-NIB) through the PNA is part of the government’s mandate for news and information which is in compliance with Executive Order No. 4 of the president.

Any story submitted by a trainee shall be credited as part of their practicum. Stories worthy for publication will be uploaded in the PNA Web Site www.pna.gov.ph with a byline of the student. The trainee will also undergo critique sessions and evaluations by the editors to further hone their writing and editing skills.

After the OJT program, the trainee will receive a certificate of completion and will also be given assistance by way of employment referrals to all linkages, networks, and agency partners of PCOO-NIB-PNA.

The signing of acceptance which was an offshoot of the signing of memorandum of agreement was also witnessed by CAS Mass Communication Department faculty Patrick Santiago.

The time to learn about actual media works should be done while the students are still in school. Intensify the actual learning in school by letting the students go out in the field and by partnering with media outfits where they can practice immediately whatever theories learned. In that way producing more quality graduates ready to face the real world will be assured.

There are more things to learn outside the four walls of the classroom.