Top 9 Questions About The Ohio Illinois Center for Broadcasting
Posted by David Huffman on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 @ 03:07 PM
As you can imagine, once a potential student figures out she wants to pursue a career in broadcasting, a lot of questions start to arise.
- Where do I need to go to get training in radio & television?
- Do I need a degree to work in broadcasting?
- Are there even jobs?
For the students who eventually settle on attending one of our broadcasting schools at the Ohio Illinois Center for Broadcasting, we have found the nine questions below to pop up the most.
So, with the help of Miss Tish Hevel at our Columbus, OH campus as well as some of our admissions folk (i.e. Lisa Rich in Cincinnati) we rounded up some answers to those top questions.
Here they are!
The Top 9 Questions Potential Students Have About the Ohio Illinois Center for Broadcasting
1. Will I qualify for Financial Aid?
Answer: The only way to know is to complete the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Federal Department of Education determines your eligibility based on several factors including your income and the makeup of your household. You’ll need your taxes (and maybe your parents, too) to complete it. This is the same method used by any post-secondary School, College or University that participates in the Federal Student Loan program. The Financial Aid Administrators at each of our campuses are happy to answer any questions you may have on this topic.
2. What times and days do classes meet?
Answer: All of our classes meet three days a week for four hours each day, and you’ll need to contact the campus closest to you to find out which upcoming class(es) may be available. Each starting group has set days/times, and we’re starting new classes regularly at each of our campuses.
3. But what if I’m working? Will I have time?
Answer: Many of our students, maybe even most of them, have jobs. Even full-time jobs. Some also juggle responsibilities as parents. It all depends on your willingness to commit to an intense, but brief, ten-month program. And every student is different. Are you able to take on additional responsibility as an investment in your future? Or would you need to adjust your schedule to be successful? Our Admissions Representatives at each campus will be able to help you consider your options.
4. How much money can I make as a broadcaster?
Answer: As you might expect, there’s a wide variety of salary and pay structures in this field. Entry level can be very minimal, part-time or freelance. But there are generally a lot of personnel changes, as employees are promoted or move from market to market, creating new opportunities quite frequently. Qualified employees in broadcasting who’ve demonstrated strong skills and a willingness to work hard don’t stay in entry level positions for long. How much money you can make depends on those factors and others, like your willingness to relocate.
5. What’s the job market like right now?
In a word: fluid! It’s no secret that many traditional radio and television have found the current economy challenging. At the same time, there’s always a need for talented newcomers, and candidates with a variety of skills are the most attractive. That’s why our program includes instruction in many aspects of broadcasting, so our students can wear several hats at once. Change is the name of the game in this business, and it’s hard to predict what new technologies will emerge. Think about it: it wasn’t that long ago that there was no internet! Now, nearly every company or organization needs an electronic version of its message, if not for its web presence, then for training or marketing. That demand for content is not only growing, it’s exploding. And people with the skills to create it, or narrate it, or host the message will continue to be in high demand.
6. What are the classes like? Are there set courses?
Answer: The program is a combination of radio, television and production. And the classes are taught by experts in the field, professionals working in broadcasting in the same markets where our campuses are located. The curriculum is very hands-on. Our students are trained to perform the tasks and duties that’ll be expected of them in the broadcasting industry, so the projects and exercises are designed to replicate the real-world experience. You’ll get a better feel for this once you tour the campus and see the professional broadcasting equipment on which our students are trained.
7. What about internships? Do you offer them?
Answer: No. We require them! Working at their internships helps our students actually know what it’s like to be in broadcasting, and there is no more valuable experience than actually contributing. Our best students are routinely hired directly from their internship experience. And since this is a business in which networking is critical, personal recommendations from internship supervisors are super meaningful. Internships are such a valuable part of our students’ training that we cultivate strong relationships with valuable internship partners who often turn to us either first, or sometimes exclusively, for extra sets of well-trained hands.
8. Are you accredited? What exactly does that mean?
Answer: Yes, we are accredited, by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, or ACCSC, which monitors many aspects of our business. Both OCB and the ACCSC are determined to achieve the best outcome for our students, so our goals are absolutely in line. One of the benefits to students of our accreditation is that we’re able to offer financial aid to those who qualify.
9. Will you help me get a job when I graduate?
Answer: We definitely help qualified graduates get hired into the broadcasting business! In fact, there’s a Placement Coordinator located at each of our campuses for just that purpose. We maintain close relationships with hiring managers in our local markets and beyond. And we help our students put together the best samples of their work to impress people looking to hire emerging broadcasters.
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