Every year, new faces emerge on TV and new names appear in
bylines to articles in the newspapers and magazines. Many of these new faces
are youngsters who, after studying in Goan institutions, either stick around
and get absorbed into the workforce here or step out for the global experience.
Vishal Rane serves as the Assistant Professor and Course
Coordinator for the Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration – Event
Management course at S S Dempo College of Commerce and Economics, Altinho.
According to him, the college gives job placement for the students who complete
the course and 80 per cent of the students prefer staying back in Goa. “They
are given jobs in event management companies, PR agencies, marketing and even
advertising. The remaining 20 per cent prefer to work for a few years in Goa
before moving abroad as the pay scale is higher, almost double or triple the
amount in Goa,” says Vishal. It has been four years since the initiation of
this course which is taught professionals from the specific field.
“The course uses innovative ideas designed to give the
students an overall understanding of the market. We have guest lecturers from
fields like law, advertising, public relations, etc who explains the actual
work required. There are nearly 20 good event management companies in Goa that
do sufficient business. Through the two-year course, divided into two semesters
each, the students compulsorily have to complete 45 days of internship for each
semester. They are even graded based on their presentation after the internship
which focuses on practical knowledge,” he adds.
Nitin Volvoikar, an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Journalism at St Xavier’s College, Mapusa, feels that Mass Communication and
Journalism goes beyond common media like newspapers and television, and there
are more options for the students in Goa. “There are many job openings in Goa
and nearly 20 per cent of the students who pass out from college go to study
further. The students pursuing MA in other states often feel that the syllabus
is same to what is already taught to them at St Xavier’s College. In the syllabus,
it is compulsory for the students to complete one month of internship which
gives them good ground training,” says Nitin, whose students are working in
various print and television media houses in Goa.
“On the other hand, we also receive enthusiastic students
who want to start freelancing as soon as they join college, either for writing
or photography. However, we request them to get proper training and
understanding before freelancing. The pay scale is less in Goa compared to
metropolitan cities in other states, but over the years, the salaries have
increased to a good amount,” explains Nitin.
Skitter Faia, branch head, Perfect Relations – a popular PR
agency in Goa, has many interns who join in to learn the trade and later stay
back to join the workforce. With ten years in the market, Skitter has seen the
PR business grow as students realise its importance. “Right now my entire team
is made up of those who interned with us in the past. They come in as students
but join to work full time. We receive students from colleges like St Xavier’s
College, Mapusa, Don Bosco College, Panjim and Dempo College, Panjim. “They
have to do internship as part of their syllabus, and, as far as I have
experienced, they show more interest in PR as an option as they get a feel of
the industry through their internship,” says Skitter.
She further adds, “There are quite a sizeable number of PR
agencies in Goa but there are better options outside Goa as well. Now there is
more scope because the industries have realised the value of public relations
and are opting for public relations officers in their hotel and business
establishments. This gives more job opportunities for students in the state
itself.”
