Journalism students experience a range of career opportunities through field placements

Before they graduate, students in the Journalism – Mass Media program at Durham College (DC) take advantage of an invaluable opportunity for experiential learning.

At the end of their second year, students must complete a seven-week placement where they can apply their multi-faceted skills to one of many possible career options. While some students go to traditional media outlets like newspapers, others take what they’ve learned to a wide range of settings, from non-profit organizations to government offices and beyond.

Read on to learn about some of the placement experiences enjoyed by the Journalism class of 2024.

Simone Traviss, Friends of Second Marsh (sustainability sector)
Simone Traviss wanted to be close to nature, so she chose to do her placement with Friends of Second Marsh, a conservation and environmental protection group in Oshawa.

“This is a very well-suited placement for me because I’m interested in nature and the environment. I can go out onto the wetland at least once a week, sometimes more,” Traviss said.

Her journalism skills helped her to create professional social media posts and write small stories and blogs for her placement.

“I’ve also been writing some monthly articles that get posted on the Durham Region website.”

Clayton DeMaine, True North (digital media)
Clayton DeMaine decided to take the path of a traditional journalist by completing an internship at True North, a Canadian digital media platform.

“Right from the start of my schooling I wanted to join True North,” said DeMaine, noting that he went into journalism with the goal of being the change he wanted to see within the industry.

DeMaine is hopeful that with the skills he has gained in journalism and his determination to improve his writing and reporting, he will be able to continue working with True North.

Andre Spence, Arena Lacrosse League (professional sports)
Andre Spence pursued a placement with the Arena Lacrosse League as an in-house sports reporter.

“This placement kind of fell into my lap,” Spence said. “I was writing a story about them and then I met the Commissioner, and he just offered it to me and I saw it as an opportunity.”

The lessons Spence learned in the Journalism program allowed him to complete his assignments quickly while maintaining a high level of quality.

“Nobody wants to know the score the day after. They want to know within the last couple of minutes. I had to make sure I made my posts as quick as I could and that they looked good.”

Gage Patte, Region of Durham (municipal government)
Gage Patte opted to explore municipal government through a role with the Region of Durham.

“I do social media messaging, public service announcements, and newsletters for various significant dates,” said Patte, who turned his role with the Region into an internship opportunity.

“I’ve made the decision to branch away from journalism and go into communications.”

Chris Schnedler, Their Opportunity (non-profit)
When considering his placement, Chris Schnedler wanted to utilize his writing, photography and people skills at a non-profit organization.

He wound up at Their Opportunity, an organization that educates, uplifts and supports children to overcome barriers through the strength of sport and generosity.

Noting that his role was more communications focused, Schnedler used his journalism skills to conduct interviews, talk with people and create videos.

“I host fundraisers, galas and sporting events throughout the community and get kids into sports. I work with a smaller team compared to a typical newsroom, but I am a lot more involved in the work.”