Just one quarter of journalism grads find a job in media
Three-quarters of journalism graduates fail to land a job in the industry, despite courses typically costing young Australians $19k.
The new analysis, obtained by Mumbrella, is derived from a survey of 120,000 former students across all subjects, taken four months after studies finish.
Click to read January’s original Graduates Outcomes Survey
The fact that hardly any hiring editors are from the generation of “media degrees” means they’re not valued. As Linnell points out, four years to learn… what?
Far better to have economics, law, politics, finance, history, even a language, as an undergraduate degree, and have an extra string to your bow.
In the UK (back in the day, anyway) it was explicitly stated in the prospectus that undergraduate journalism degrees “were not intended to be a route directly into the industry”. Instead, you needed do [insert any degree] then the intensive nine-month NCTJ-accredited postgraduate diploma, which gave a solid grounding in media law as well as the practical skills required.
Using that logic, doesn’t it mean that law, politics, finance, history, and language degrees aren’t valued because people seek work in other fields such as journalism instead of getting jobs in the legal profession, government, business and… ummm, whatever employs the other two you mentioned… maybe the historical factory and the language-speaking industry? Skills taught in journalism degrees are enormously valued in a range of new media and communications jobs. The fact that the jobs aren’t called “journalism” doesn’t make the employment less rewarding, in the same way that a history graduates aren’t considered failures if they gain employment as journalists. What exactly is the relevance of this survey?
I wonder what % of journalism grads that do get a job as a journalist are domestic vs international students?
Why ask Linnell? It’s been a long time since he was a journalist.
Fact us that journalism schools are a rort, often promoting opinionated axe grinding polemic.
The better reporters have studied in a discipline like history or law or finance. The best learning is at work.
Hi editor,
“Fact us (sic) that journalism schools are a rort, often promoting opinionated axe grinding polemic.”
Please provide your source for this comment – what kind of research have you done to base this on? Have you ever been inside a journalism school or college?
Or are you just mouthing off without really knowing what you’re talking about – something you seem to be accusing graduates of doing.
Max: UTS and RMIT.
Over 20 years of an open recruitment process we have never hired a j school grad.
Hi “Editor”
Well, I’ll explain more about why I asked Garry in tomorrow’s feature. He got his job straight from high school and rose all the way up to hold some of the most senior positions in Australian journalism – so I think he provides a very valid perspective.
I agree some journalism courses clearly aren’t doing a great job. But some of them are, too. I don’t want to tar them all with the same brush. Sadly, this is the best breakdown of figures I could obtain. I would be very intrigued to see exactly which ones are, and aren’t, getting students jobs in the industry!
Thanks,
Adam
It would be interesting to cross reference the stats in this article with the percentage of “entry-level” media and journalism jobs where an undergraduate degree is listed as a requirement on the job ads.
In my admittedly limited sample size of experience managers/editors/CEOs/etc are happy to say that a degree is worthless compared to practical experience but every job they advertise won’t even interview a candidate unless they have a bachelor of something.
There are two factors that I’ve noticed … the first is that it has been obvious to anyone with the slightest interest in the media industry that journalist numbers – having risen exponentially over a number of years – are now falling, meaning there will be less opportunities. If prospective journalists bothered to do any research, they would know this and maybe do something else.
And what are the universities actually teaching? A recent release from the ABC and Uni Tas states that the journalist now doesn’t so much report news but “the role is … much-needed guidance to audiences and readers” suggesting that they see themselves as being superior to mere mortals – something that is particularly evident in the ABC where they claim their job is not to report news but “set the agenda”. When I was hiring, that kind of attitude would guarantee that the applicant didn’t get the job.
I’m fascinated by the disconnect between what you are taught at university and what you do should you actually get a job in journalism. Must be one of the only industries where that is the case.
Surgeons are not taught where to suture and suction only to be told to ignore all that uni stuff and do it differently when they first don a surgical gown. But the same is not true in journalism. Surely that does not assist in the transition from study to employment.
Hi Simon,
Completely agree, it’s fascinating. Why are thousands of young people paying for a degree which is often essentially useless? The counter argument, of course, is that it encourages independent learning through reading and research. But why should that cost $19k? It’s a ludicrous state of affairs.
Thanks,
Adam Thorn
The PR industry cannibalised publishing, clients pay a fortune for ‘ free’ editorial rather than booking advertising directly with a publisher, developing a relationship and receiving added value editorial, if and when the topic delivers reader value.
Less revenue = Less journalists.
Soon all that will be left will be ‘ influencers’.
…but can they spell?
Adam, the survey tracked students who had enrolled in a journalism course. Students majoring in other subjects sometimes enrol in journalism courses as electives. Understanding how journalism works can be useful for PR students, for example. Did the survey take into account that many of these students might not have intended to become journalists? Were respondents asked to specify their first choice career outcomes?
Good point Christopher. My bet is that many of those 75% landed a job in PR or advertising. The degree wouldn’t have been a waste of time if you consider they likely got a good job. However, ultimately, we have many people trained to be journalists who then don’t enter the profession. This is the best breakdown I could get, but I would indeed be very, very interested to see a better breakdown.
Thanks,
Adam