NATION MEDIA GROUP SHINES AT CAREER FAIR

“What it takes to be a journalist,” was the theme Nation Media Group decided to tackle during the Career Fair in Nakuru on May 29, 2010, attracting several students who thronged the NMG stand at Moi Secondary School, eager to hear from the widely acclaimed media company. The Career Fair was organized by a variety of universities, in an effort to take Nakuru secondary school students through various courses and programmes on offer.

Nation Media Group’s Editorial Training Coordinator Owino Opondo took the enthusiastic students through a training session, as they shed light on newsroom operations while answering numerous questions. Mr. Opondo and his team were forced to call for order, following a large number of students at the stand, all waiting to be served. The staff thus served the students in shifts, while ensuring that each student’s question and clarification was answered.

NTV news anchor James Smart was present to answer quite a number of questions from the students, on the electronic media and how it operates.

“I have always admired to be a journalist and I am happy to interact with practicing journalists who have given me tips on how to go about achieving my dream,” stated Jacqueline Achieng Sawo, a form four student at Nakuru Day Mixed.

According to Mr. Opondo, the forum was in line with NMG’s initiative of tapping and nurturing talent from an early level in order to ensure that students achieve their dreams of being remarkable journalists.

“The society is each day becoming complicated and in order for us to meet its needs in terms of information we need to encourage new ideas and innovations from young people, “ he said. Mr. Opondo further pointed out the need to change reportage in order to suit the demands of the masses.

Students were asked to develop a reading culture so that they could remain informed on current affairs, widening their scope of knowledge.

Mr. Opondo stated that students who read a lot developed proficiency in various communication languages, which in turn helped them excel in other examinable subjects.

“ In most cases students perform dismally in exams not because they are academically weak, but due to lack of comprehension of exam questions due to lack of mastery of the language of communication,” he remarked.

NMG staff made use of the forum to display its multiple print media products which include: Daily Nation, The East African, The Daily Monitor sold in Uganda, Mwananchi sold in Tanzania, Business Daily, Taifa Leo, amongst others.

Upon conclusion, students were given the opportunity to write and send articles to the training coordinator under a correspondence program keen on promoting talent.