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Learning Waves Skillnet launched its ‘Radio – Get your Foot in the Door Workshop in 2010’. The aim of this workshop is to give people who are interested in pursuing a career in radio the opportunity to meet professionals from the industry and to hear from them on ‘what it takes to make it in radio’
The workshop was run twice in 2010 and once in 2011 and a total of over 50 people attended. A number of the participants went on to complete further training programmes through Learning Waves Skillnet in both 2010 and 2011.
The success of the workshop can be measured by looking at the success achieved by Caoimhseach Connolly(pictured above) since attending the workshop in 2010.
Caoimhseach was a graduate of DIT and heard from the workshop through her lecturer Pat Hannon. After attending the workshop Caoimhseach secured work experience with Teena Gates in the 98FM newsroom. Following the completion of her work experience with 98FM, Caoimhseach got more work experience with Newstalk and Today FM. All through the work experience Caoimhseach also undertook a number of training programmes with Learning Waves. In 2011, Caoimhseach attended a workshop on ‘News for the Younger Audience; with Learning waves and whilst at the workshop she approached Teena again for more work experience. Following the success of her work experience with Teena in 2011, Caoimhseach was offered freelance work with 98FM over Christmas 2011. Caoimhseach is now a weekend reporter for a range of stations and is a regular participant in Learning Waves courses.
According to Caoimhseach the most beneficial part of the workshop was ‘getting to ask the experts questions and also getting the opportunity to meet the experts'. On giving advice to others looking to get in to radio, Caoimhseach would encourage them to go to www.learningwaves.ie and to go on courses and meet people from the industry and to make contact with people. It is then important to follow up on your contacts and if on work experience to go on training courses. On recommending Learning Waves to others, Caoimhseach would ‘highly recommend Learning Waves to others and according to her ‘its where everyone goes to learn and where the people who know what they are talking about go to train’.