No experience needed to teach Broadcasting?

[jon]

When I enrolled in the two year radio program in 83 the class size was 40 students - divided into two blocks of 20 students - by the time I graduated in 85 the class was down to 20. If I recall correctly one had to maintain a fairly high grade average in order to continue on to the next term. There were a few that didn't make it beyond the first term, the highest drop off was at the end of year one. The 20 who started year two were the ones who made it through to the end. Some would head out to "Arm-Pit BC" to work at the local station by the end of the third term. They would graduate at the end of the fourth term with the rest of the class. The hiring rate for students at that time was very high in the 90 - 95% range I think. I seam to recall that TV and NEWS had the same attrition rate as Radio.

With a 90-95% hiring rate, I would be surprised if some of the dropouts didn't drop out because they got a Radio job before completing the full 4 terms. I know that (hiring before completion) happened in other NAIT/SAIT/BCIT programs when demand was really high in the job market.

I know it was still true in the '70s that you did not need a high school diploma to work on-air in small town Radio, even in Canada. Admittedly, we did not see the flood of 14 year old DJs that the U.S. saw during the Vietnam War, when The Draft took so many of the 18 year old males that would normally have been on the air in small towns.

But my point being that, if high school dropouts were being hired for on-air work in small town radio in Canada, I'm sure stations would jump at the chance to get someone with some training.

[Tape Splicer]

I didn't hear much about those who left the course at the end of the first term, but I am sure that there were some who left at the end of second term (first year) who found work at small town stations. In fact there were class mates who were working nights and weekends in town and taking the day course during the week.

[Mike Cleaver]

In the two schools in which I taught, leaving before the end of the course was frowned upon because the school would lose the "per student grant" for that individual.
I railed against this, saying the idea of an education was to procure a job and if an employer thought a student was "hire worthy" before the end of the course, then the school obviously had succeeded.
Prime example of a great radio talent hired out of school, Jamie West who worked at CHUM and then in Hamilton for many many years.
He was at RyHigh in first year when his talent was recognized at CHUM because he'd stopped by to see how a real radio station operated.
When I taught at Seneca, I was pretty much told off when I told a female student she should accept a full time producer's job she was offered at CTV.
I argued if someone was hired before the end of the course, they automatically should receive their diploma.
Never won that one but I did advise any student who was offered a real radio or TV job to take it, regardless of where in the course they were.
After all, that piece of paper MAY help you get your first job but no one will ever ask to see it again if you become a successful broadcaster.

[Roger Pedacter]

I'd say of the 40 or so in my BCIT class (early 2000's), seven or eight are on-air in a good-sized market.

3, 4 more are working in smaller markets, on-air.

Maybe 5,6 are behind the scenes- production, cameras, etc.

Probably 5,6,7 in PR jobs.

As for the other 10-15-20 (these are rough numbers)..couldn't tell you.

But if students are willing to pay for the school, more power to them and to the program. I don't think a degree from a post-secondary school - be it BCIT, UBC, whatever - comes with a job guarantee.

[Jack Bennest]

flood of 14 year old DJs that the U.S. saw during the Vietnam War

pardon me ,,,,,but educate me with how many 14 year olds were DJ's during the Vietnam war?

Where would you find such a fact? If you can point to a reference story or article on this I would love to see and read it.

[jon]

Although I can't recall reading an article on the subject, I've read a lot of mini-bios of DJs from that era in the last 10 years, and many of them started working at 14 with at least some announcer duties in small town U.S. radio. Kris Erik Stevens of WLS fame is probably the best known. But lots of the DJs who contribute to reelradio started at 14, even the Curator.

As to why, i.e. - the Vietnam War, that was based on all the small town U.S. radio stations that I visited when I was 14-16 years old. Time after time, when I asked them about where they had been previously and how they got where they were, it was either someone who got their Draft Notice or someone leaving to fill a position elsewhere where another person got their Draft Notice. Though I rarely saw 14 year olds on the air at the time I was visiting, many of the people I talked to began at 14.

With very low wages and the requirement for an FCC "First Phone" license, as well as the huge number of U.S. small market stations, it was often better for stations to hire someone who was 14 than someone older who was awful.

[Jack Bennest]

I will accept that as a well researched answer.

In Canada many broadcasters-to-be got some input into a radio station when they were teenagers. John Ashbridge and Red Robinson two that I know well. Jim Cox also started early at NW on Columbia St.

When I was fourteen, I was 4' 11, skiny as rail, rode a bike, delivered papers and tried air cadets but didn't last long. Never thought greatly about radio until I was listening to Shane in Spokane. Tuned into CFUN and some kid named Larry was doing nights. The little nerd was a year younger than me, from my school, and well it was off to the races.