A university in central Ireland launched a new four-year course on “Content Creation and Social Media” at the beginning of the September school year. A success. 350 students requested this training, which only 30 students accepted.
“An incredible success”
Among them, Marta Hughes Bravo. “Many people think that being an influencer is easy, that it is enough to post 60-second videos on TikTok, but it is much more than that!” explains this 80-year-old student at Southeast Technological University (SETU) in Carlow. kilometers from Dublin. Content creation involves “editing, planning, organizing, etc., it takes more time than you think, people don’t really understand it,” he continues.
“It is something that is growing enormously,” Irene McCormick, director of the course, explains to AFP. This former television producer launched himself into teaching, first offering an intensive course taught by TikTokers every summer.
The training, for the first time in Ireland, teaches aspiring influencers how to turn their presence and content on platforms such as Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube into a source of income. After two years of preparation, the course was approved and welcomed its first group of 15 students last month.
Monetize your influence
On the state-of-the-art campus, between classes, they chat, take selfies and browse on their smartphones.
According to Ms. McCormick, most students are already immersed in the digital world, but are looking for additional tools and knowledge. “You can try to learn on your own at home, but gaining practical and theoretical knowledge on how to reach a target audience will make a big difference in your career,” he says.
Degree courses include courses in video creation, entrepreneurship, psychology and storytelling, data analysis, and podcast production. Students also learn how to use cameras and microphones and do practical work.
“I post a lot of the hairstyles I do on Tiktok and Instagram, I would like to learn how to turn them into a real business,” says Favor Ehuchie, an 18-year-old hairdresser.
“Influencers, the future of marketing”
“Learning to feel comfortable in front of cameras will help us gain confidence in ourselves, whatever our profession,” underlines another student, Naoise Kelly, specifying that her top priority is not to become the next social media star.
According to McCormick, there are many job opportunities.
The term “influencer” – a well-known person on social media who uses their celebrity to recommend, promote or generate interest in products and brands, often in exchange for remuneration – recently entered the dictionary.
The most popular ones, like YouTubers MrBeast or KSI, reach sizable audiences and earn significant revenue from their partnerships with brands or ads.
Source: BFM TV
