Journalism education and skills as a “gateway” to many types of jobs

Jan Schaffer, director of J-Lab, published a piece last month about journalism education. The headline: Journalism Education: It’s Time to Craft the Gateway Degree.

Schaffer’s concerned about university journalism programs losing enrollment and suggests they find a new way to market themselves. Her suggestion should be encouraging to anyone in journalism, even those of us well past the school phase:

It’s time to think about trumpeting a journalism degree as the ultimate Gateway Degree, one that can get you a job just about anywhere, except perhaps the International Space Station.

Sure, you might land at your local news outlet. But, armed with a journalism degree, infused with liberal arts courses and overlaid with digital media skills, you are also attractive to information startups, nonprofits, the diplomatic corps, commercial enterprises, the political arena and tech giants seeking to build out journalism portfolios, among others.

Even if what you have is journalism experience rather than a degree, the skills are in demand, Schaffer writes. A good thought.

Hat tip to PBS MediaShift, which republished Schaffer’s piece.