Universities should partner with media outfits to give students practical experience – Chinedu Hardy Nwadike

Award winning media practitioner, Chinedu Hardy Nwadike has said that beyond building a strong brand, he also wants to build people.

Chinedu who is the founder of OtownGist Media and Entertainment said that the concept of ‘people’ is often put behind money in the media sector and he will help change that.

He said that with the purpose not set earlier, a lot of people are in the media just for the money and not for the offerings of the sector.

“A decade in the sector has taught me a lot and I have seen people think the industry is their birthright, even when. they have not done enough to help it”

“For me the industry has over a hundred doors wide open for people to come in”

Hardy Nwadike

“People who have good engagement on social media are now media experts and they pride themselves everywhere with the title without a single training and this is same with some graduates of Departments like Mass Communication, because they have no practical knowledge of the course they studied for four years”, he said.

Chinedu Hardy Nwadike said that the media in places like Imo State should be improved and people should be able to flow with the dynamism in the sector.

He said that Universities should be able to identify media outfits in different genres to partner with so that students can have real experience while still in school.

“The goal should not be to graduate more than 200 persons every year, the goal should be to send out professionals who will improve the media sector upon graduation”

“Universities should creat work experience beyond the industrial training where students can work in various departments of the media in partner outfits, this is how we can build great institution in the sector”

“Media entrepreneurs should think beyond building for money. We all should start building strong brands that will shape the future by grooming the next generation of media professionals”, he said.

Chinedu Hardy Nwadike who is also an author is the president of Imo State Bloggers Association (ISBA) and has set his sight on grooming more than ten persons every year in the media sector.