fraycollege is thrilled to announce the upcoming graduation ceremony for our Occupational Journalism (OJ) Certificate course. This momentous occasion marks the culmination of dedication, hard work, and the pursuit of journalistic excellence by our students who were the first to study under this new journalism qualification.
The OJ course was created in collaboration with those who hire journalists – editors – specifically the South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF) to address the skills needed in newsrooms. In 2022, fraycollege was a awarded a contract by FPM SETA to pilot the qualification and this group of students are the first to graduate under it. The OJ Certificate provides an opportunity for learners to strengthen their multimedia journalism skills and also nurtures their soft skills so they can learn to cope and thrive in this new environment.
The incumbent graduates are praising the versatility of the course and have credited its teachings with their current success.
Actor and communications specialist, Kgopotso Seth Chawane, is one of the graduates who have gone on to achieve significant success in the media and communication’s space. Chawane is now part of the Media Relations, Communications and Marketing team at Stats SA while also working in on the Corporate Affairs and Marketing team at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) as well as heading up TUT FM as the editor-in-chief who will oversee aspiring journalists.
Chawane describes his career since completing the OJ course as an “adventure”, having tapped into spaces “beyond (his) wildest dreams and imagination”. He says that a highlight of his career so far has been working on the Stats SA Media Relations team during the 2023 Census Results launch and connecting with seasoned South African journalists. Chawane credits fraycollege with helping him develop a more nuanced and tactical approach to writing and picking up essential digital media skills. Overall, he believes that the course equipped him with “skills to stay competent amidst the ever-revolving industry demands”.
“I am stepping into News Editorial shoes, and I learnt a lot from our weekly newsroom responsibilities (at fraycollege), where we took turns to be editors. What is funny is that I did not like that role during weekly editorial meetings, but I forced myself through it and today, that role is my job and I lead more than 10 journalists.”
Another successful graduate, Gontse Sello, says her time with fraycollege was “an eye-opening experience”. Having started off her journalism career in 2011, she says that taking the course revived her passion for journalism and opened her eyes to the limitless possibilities in storytelling. “I first walked into the institute with a steel head on what I believed journalism is, however, the learning has equipped me to think beyond local and partake in the global conversations,” she adds.
Sello has successfully transferred her skills after the completion of the course to working as a content producer for a local edutainment podcast.
Olebogeng Molale is using the skills he acquired from the course to serve his community through his work at Revival FM- a community radio station in Kimberley.
Molale says that the course instilled in him the importance of reporting with integrity, improved his writing and storytelling skills and inculcated a desire for self-improvement in his endeavours. Like Sello, Molale sees journalism as serving an integral part in communities, “For me, journalism is not just a career but a calling. I love doing it because through the work that I am doing, I can help other people.”
The graduation ceremony will be held on March 28 with FPM SETA and MTN South Africa as sponsors.
