ALYA AL SUWAIDI: ITHMAR HAS DISCOVERED MANY MEDIA TALENTS; TRAINED MORE THAN 60 STUDENTS
The Sharjah Press Club (SPC) of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) has announced the fourth edition of the annual media training programme, Ithmar, in cooperation with CNN Arabic. Being held from June 29 to July 7, the Ithmar media training programme targets children and young people between the ages of 10 and 17 years.
The SPC will hold screening tests and interviews with prospective candidates to select the final participants according to the specified criteria.
The Press Club has received 71 applications for this year’s Ithmar programme, as against 51 applications last year.
The training plan for the fourth edition of Ithmar includes theory and practical exercises, including providing participants with the elements of creating visual content, starting from choosing the idea to presenting it to the public in a professional manner.
The training also involves providing the trainees with an understanding of the essentials of conducting successful media interviews.
The Ithmar programme also aims to familiarise participating students with the skills necessary to distinguish between authentic and misleading content, verify news, photos and videos, and identify fake accounts on social media platforms.
The participants are also trained in creating infographics, informational content, and using infographics in telling media stories, tools that can be used to enhance the attractiveness of the information presented to the audience.
Job Shadow Programme
The students participating in the Ithmar will also learn the most important elements of creating media content in its various forms through the Job Shadow training programme, which is aimed at making use of the collective experience and skills of SGMB employees for the benefit of university students.
The trainees will also undertake field visits to the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (Sharjah TV and Radio) and Cartoon Network in Arabic, to learn on the job about the functioning of the content industry.
HE Alya Al Suwaidi, Director, SGMB, said: “The Ithmar media training initiative represents the vision of the Emirate to accord highest importance to the new generation following the directives of HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in order to create opportunities for children and young people in various fields, offering them all possible support and building their knowledge and capabilities for the future”.
Al Suwaidi pointed out that the growing response and the year-on-year increase in the number of applications for the programme reflects the extent of the passion and interest of the younger generation in media field, which enhances the motives for positive investment in their passion.
The training programme has been able, over the course of three previous editions, to discover many media talents, and more than 60 male and female students have benefited from it, acquiring the training and cognitive skills needed for the media profession, she added.
It is worth noting that the Sharjah Press Club organises throughout the year a series of programmes, initiatives and workshops that serve the press and media sector and media professionals.