Journalism from Start(Unemployed)

Whirlie

Hi All,
Am currently unemployed, took voluntary redundancy in December last year. Very interested in a career in Journalism, did an arts degree in english and computer science 10 years ago with a view towards it but got side-tracked. Just wondering if anyone would be kind enough to give an opinion on some of the courses out there -
- theopencollege.com
either feature or news writing for journalism

- cmi-ireland.com
diploma in journalism and media

- journalismcourses.ie
various

- UL
Dilpoma/Masters in Journalism

Am very aware that, like creative writing, it is all too easy to be sucked into what is essentially vanity publishing. So, what I am asking is does anyone have anyone have any experience of the above being worthwhile as a solid base for job-hunting in the profession? Not expecting to be doing the feature in the Indo anytime soon, but need to work for my living.
Thanks in advance for any responses,
Gra

Galbin

Whirlie wrote: »

Hi All,
Am currently unemployed, took voluntary redundancy in December last year. Very interested in a career in Journalism, did an arts degree in english and computer science 10 years ago with a view towards it but got side-tracked. Just wondering if anyone would be kind enough to give an opinion on some of the courses out there -
- theopencollege.com
either feature or news writing for journalism

- cmi-ireland.com
diploma in journalism and media

- journalismcourses.ie
various

- UL
Dilpoma/Masters in Journalism

Am very aware that, like creative writing, it is all too easy to be sucked into what is essentially vanity publishing. So, what I am asking is does anyone have anyone have any experience of the above being worthwhile as a solid base for job-hunting in the profession? Not expecting to be doing the feature in the Indo anytime soon, but need to work for my living.
Thanks in advance for any responses,
Gra

I would actually suggest you get some career guidance and look into something else. Journalism is what is considered a dying industry in that papers are closing, many journalists are being replaced by bloggers who will write for free, and there is fierce competition from Asia where the cost of living is low (so writers will work for peanuts). As a result, even people with journalism degrees from the big colleges have had to immigrate or do unpaid interships for long periods of time.

I have been in journalism for 7 years, and was made redundant last year so that I could be replaced by an intern willing to work for a slave wage.

My two cents: journalism in Ireland requires a lot of luck, a willingness to live on a fairly low wage and a lot of contacts.