25 students join media training programme

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

Sharjah Press Club, a subsidiary of Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), has launched the second edition of the Ithmar media training programme, which aims to inculcate media awareness in students aged 10 to 17 years, and offer them practical training in various aspects of media work in cooperation with a number of leading media institutions and experts.

The Ithmar programme, which is being remotely organised, will be spread over a period of two weeks with the participation of 25 students who have been selected after screening and personal interviews with the candidates to ensure their interest in the media and their willingness to undergo the prescribed training to ensure the programme serves its purpose in identifying and nurturing future media talents in the country.

The second edition of Ithmar will cover a number of critical areas including media education, print and digital journalism, data journalism, television presentation, social media, and photojournalism etc.

Asma Al Juwaied, Manager of the Sharjah Press Club, stressed that through initiatives like Ithmar, the Club is keen to identify and encourage students with an interest in the media as a career option.

 It is important to invest in these promising talents to prepare them for the future in view of the remarkable developments witnessed in the media sector in recent years and the attractive career options it offers, she added.

Al Juwaied pointed out that media education and training has become an urgent necessity today, given the key role and influence that the media plays in promoting awareness and building cultures.

The training programme takes into account the ages of the participants and employs media experts and trainers with rich experience who are able to communicate with children in a simple and effective way.

The Sharjah Press Club, which operates under the umbrella of the SGMB to serve journalists and the media sector in the country, successfully launched the first edition of the Ithmar programme last year featuring more than 30 training hours, five field visits, and six training modules.

It resulted in the establishment of Ithmar student clubs in various schools ensuring the participants continue to remain engaged in the media education and training to eventually realise their goal of joining the profession.