By Esther Au Yong

WITH the Media Development Authority's goal to make Singapore a global media city, there is a real need to augment the talent pool of media professionals.

This need explains why professional lifelong-learning institute, the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), continues to run and promote its mass-communications suite of programmes.

All the MDIS programmes, however, have one important feature - an emphasis on the practical aspects of the industry, besides the usual theoretical knowledge.

The programmes also seek to have a balance in content.

Said Ms Audrey Ow, 27, a 2004 graduate of the OCU degree programme: "For example, we had a three-week attachment at the OCU campus in the US, which was very intensive.

"We studied three modules there and they were very varied. One was on TV production, where we delved in-depth into how to produce a TV programme, including how to handle the cameras."

The students, Ms Ow told my paper, also had to take modules on the environment and fitness.

Ms Ow, who handles publicity matters for a company in the transport industry, finds the balance in the OCU programme attractive.

"Besides the communications- related modules, we also studied psychology and politics. They were very useful and helped us understand how to communicate better. The good mix of subjects opened up my perception of the industry and, thus, built my career interest," she said.

Even in Singapore, the equal emphasis on both theory and practical aspects is evident.

Like the fully-equipped mass-communications studio, which has professional TV cameras and equipment, said media lecturer Lim Kian Lye, 61.

"Almost half of my lessons are spent on handling cameras and on the practical aspects of production," Mr Lim, who owns his own production company, said.

"Students have to produce a short news story in the studio and also a short documentary on their own.

"So, when students go out and work in the industry, they are already familiar with the equipment and the nature of the work."

Overall, Mr Lim, who has been in the media industry for 43 years, has this guiding principle: "A good mass-communications practitioner is one who knows all aspects of mass communications, whether it's print or electronic or new media, and is also specialised in one aspect of it."

Mr Mathew Thomas, 31, a 2004 graduate of the OCU degree programme, agreed. He told my paper that the programme helped him to get established in the health-care public- relations industry.

Mr Thomas, who now heads the health-care public-relations team in Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Singapore, said: "There were many case studies in the course, including those beyond Singapore. From them, we learnt how to work internationally."

He also pointed out that the programme's lecturers were inspirational. "Many of them have been in the industry for years. We learnt and benefited from their experiences."

For details, visit www.mdis.edu.sg

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