The Media Council of Kenya will place 140 final year media and communications students in 49 media houses across the country under the third cohort of the Council's Industrial Placement Programme.
The beneficiaries who have been undertaking degree and diploma training in accredited universities and colleges in Kenya were selected after a rigorous process spearheaded by renowned media professionals and media academics.
The beneficiaries will also receive mentorship and guidance from seasoned industry experts as they hone their skills in editorial, radio, television, digital and corporate communications.
In a bid to address gender disparity in the newsroom, 59 of the latest beneficiaries are female compared to 81 male.
The reach of the selected students extends across various regions in Kenya, encompassing students from Bungoma, Nairobi, Eldoret, Kakamega, Kisii, Lake Victoria, Kitale, Meru, Migori, Mombasa, Nakuru, Narok, Kiambu and Taita Taveta.
In a deliberate effort to ensure inclusivity, MCK selected 12 persons with disabilities (PWDs) out of the 140 students.
The latest intake brings to 317 the total number of beneficiaries so far since the programme’s inception in 2021.
The initiative was incepted following the realisation of gaps between training and absorption of graduates in the industry and to promote and strengthen working relations between the media sector and training institutions in Kenya.
“Lack of functional relationship between the media industry and academia in the sector has frustrated the attainment of practical industrial exposure that is critical to skills transfer and progression of students in journalism training institutions. Students seeking industrial attachment in the extreme are forced to pay for the period should they be lucky to get space”, said MCK CEO Mr David Omwoyo during the programme’s launch in 2021.