THE first session of the third installment of the Office of the Prime Minister’s Media and Communications Academy commenced at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Tuesday.
Over 60 participants were engaged in an Introduction to Communications session facilitated by communications specialist, Martina Johnson.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) spoke with a few of these participants, who were ecstatic about the opportunity, and highly optimistic about the outcome of the seven-week programme.

Kevon Lorrimer saw this as an opportunity to strengthen his knowledge about various aspects of journalism.

“I believe this is a great initiative, especially in the world of communications today. This is the beginning, and this is what is needed to get a full jumpstart as to how we can relate to the public. When I saw the government implementing this programme, I believed that this is something that is needed, not just for me, but for persons I’ve seen spreading information Online. So, I believe that this is the foundation, and it is something that I have been lacking. So I think it is the perfect initiative for me,” he related.

Another participant, Shellon Samaroo said: “The fact that it is in class and not Online allows me to ask questions, get answers, and ensure that I understand what is being taught in the area of communication.”

Amaniah Cort related: “The exposure we’re getting, I expect it to enrich how we communicate. I noticed that there is a wide range of people here; the facilitator is also very effective, and it feels like we are getting access to university courses here.”

Shaniya Harding expressed similar sentiments, saying: “I think it’s a great initiative; it’s very creative and accommodating to everyone, and you can also take this information into other fields.”
Richlyn Graham lauded the approach being taken during the training sessions, highlighting that it caters to different persons through various learning methods.

“There are fun activities to enhance the way we do things; to enhance our perspectives and point of view, to make sure that everyone understands. And that is something great that they are doing,” she said.

Shannella Small expects that the programme will enable her to better communicate and make her debut in the media fraternity. “It’s a learning process for me, to help me develop my skills in terms of communication and interacting with people,” she said.

The Media and Communications Academy was officially launched on World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2022, by Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy.  It was created as a necessary intervention to upskill and further professionalise the local media industry for the evolving socioeconomic landscape.

It is also geared towards increasing the capacity of media workers in the private and public sectors, assisting passionate writers and communicators in kick-starting or advancing their careers, by providing training sessions to upskill and equip them with professional practices needed in the media industry.

Media operatives across the private and public sectors are allowed to gain world-class competencies, in keeping with the government’s dedication to fostering vast improvements across the media landscape.

The next few weeks will see participants benefitting from courses in Speech Writing, News Presentation, Feature Writing, Social Media and Marketing, Documentary Making, Filmmaking, and Print Journalism, among other areas of interest.