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Nicola Kiely

I was interested in technology, design and radio so this course seemed a perfect mix of all three, with a few other areas mixed in. With subjects like Performance Technology, Digital Arts and Creative Coding, we can show off our creative abilities. We use coding to create an audio/visual piece for display or performance No two projects are ever the same – you can tailor them to lean more towards the area you are interested in. The more the course goes on, the more you find out what area really suits you, whether it be composing, coding or designing. The course is very broad and covers such a vast amount of music, art, technology and so much more. The University itself provides great learning facilities, particularly all the software and hardware we need for any projects.  For me, the best thing about the course is building up such a vast skill set in so many different areas, which means I have a long list of job prospects after graduation.

For my Co-Op I went to Limerick’s Live 95FM, a local radio station based in Limerick City. My role was Research Assistant for a current affair talk show that airs daily. My daily jobs included booking guests for the next show, researching stories to discuss on air, meeting guests in studio before interview, writing interview scripts and podcasting interviews.

Working in production showed me how much work goes into preparing a radio show and I was grateful to play a part in putting it all together. I learnt so much in my time there and was so confident in my role towards the end. While Research Assistant was my role, I was given opportunities to grow many other skills while I was there.  I’m still in contact with the station and several opportunities have since risen to work there again.

Jack Deacon

My job involves creating online video content for young people on a range of topics including mental health, sexual health, work and online safety. Day to day I work on concept development, scripting, storyboarding, recording voiceovers, animating visuals, recording pieces to camera, audio overlays and creating a final output. I also have on-going tasks like getting scripts proofed by young people and health professionals and creating a visual style for the websites video content. I absolutely love my job and there has never been a day where I haven't wanted to come to work.

Throughout my four years in UL, I learned how to produce high quality multimedia from concept all the way through to delivering a final product. I also learned the theory behind what makes great content, audio and video principles and contemporary design. Copyright laws, computing ethics, programming fundamentals and project management were also covered. These topics all feed into my every day work.

Jack's tip: My UL degree gave me the keys to countless doors and fascinating areas, some that I never even knew existed. To get to a place where you are employed within the creative industry, you need to continuously learn and work hard to get there. It???s up to you to go further through the doors and excel in some of these areas. There are so many people that want jobs in the creative industry, so put yourself above the rest by using your passion and talent to build on the skills and confident expertise th¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ absolutely provides.

Jack is currently employed as a Media Producer with SpunOut.ie