Students from Woniora Road School in Sydney have started working towards a career in media after their school formed a strategic partnership with Sydney Radio School. The partnership, which began in March this year, will develop a sustainable internet radio hub based at the School that students can update as part of a new literacy curriculum.
The concept was brought about through consultation with the students and was put in place to enhance the literacy skills of the students and build self confidence.
Woniora Road School conducts an extensive literacy program to assist students who may be experiencing difficulties with reading and writing skills. All students have an individual literacy support plan and the program targets syllabus outcomes and encompasses both oral and written skills to facilitate literacy improvement across all key learning areas.
Woniora Road School Principal Craig Smith has been working with regional partnership brokers Creating Brighter Career Connections (CBCC), to develop this strategic partnership:
“We are always looking for new ways to engage our students and with the help of CBCC and Sydney Radio School we have been able to create a sustainable partnership within our school that will enhance the literacy skills of our students and potentially lead to a exciting career in the media.”
Sydney Radio School General Manager Joel Helmes has told radioinfo, working with the young people is a pleasure. “It’s great working with people as they learn new skills, I’m constantly astounded by the improvement our students make in just a short time, they get not only a look at what it’s like working in the media but their general communication skills and confidence gets a big boost too.”
According to job listings on one of Australia’s leading job find organisations, there has been between a 10-15% increase in the average Film, Television and Radio salaries over the past 15 months. Helmes says now is a great time to look at the media as a career path:
“With so many new digital radio and TV channels, and the booming online media spectrum there’s a growing need for content, it takes skilled people to create that content so really there’s never been a better time to consider a career in the media.”