From Mary Immaculate(MI) College in Limerick to the Learning Waves Journalism Graduate Programme 2019 (JGP), Emma Hill has seen her career in radio blossom. In college Emma gained a Bachelor of Arts with Media & Communications & French and she also completed an MA in Media Studies in MI. Through the graduate programme, Emma joined the Red FM newsroom under the guidance of Lana O'Connor, where she has seen her career progress and gain experience in a vibrant and fast paced environment in Red FM's newsroom.
Emma was one of five successful graduates who secured a place on the Learning Waves Journalism Graduate programme back in September 2019. The programme aims to recruit journalism graduates in the Independent Commercial Radio sector for a period of 5 months where they are mentored within a station and supported with training from Learning Waves, the training body for the Independent Commercial Radio Sector in Ireland.
According to Emma, 'the programme massively enhanced her skills and boosted herconfidence. Her mentors and work colleagues were extremely helpful and supportive of her endeavours to progress and achieve her full potential at the station."
Gaining "invaluable experience" during the JGP, Emma learned to script & broadcast news bulletins, as well as creating & publishing content for Red FM's social media channels. She has read news & sport live on the airwaves, along with completing a story with interviewees on the Cork chocolate & baking weekend that she scripted, produced & edited.
Now working at the Neil Prendeville Show in research & production, Emma is applying her skills on a daily basis to the Neil Prendeville Show. In the video below, Emma reflects on her placement in Cork's RedFM.
We spoke to Emma today and as she reflects on her journey through the Journalism Graduate programme with Learning Waves she had this to say : 'I am still in Cork's RedFM - 1 year later and I am working as a researcher and in production for The Neil Prendeville Show, who is one of the most prominent voices on Irish radio for the last 30 years. I work with an amazing and hardworking team. It's been a great year for my media career. It's incredibly busy. I've learnt a lot of invaluable skills in the radio & journalism industry.
The programme has been supported by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) & Skillnet Ireland.