Producing the unemployed?
Publishers and editors-in-chief who freeze their education budgets in times of crisis are, in effect, signaling their own defeat.
Column Publishers and editors-in-chief who freeze their budgets for education in times of crisis are signaling self-abandonment.
Last week was the final exams for publishing specialists. When I told a colleague about this, he said: "Oh yes, you're producing new unemployed people again!" At first I was annoyed by this remark, but then I was grateful, because the man with knowledge of the industry described with his reflexive remark pretty much exactly the mood that incorrigible people like me encounter today when they unflinchingly promote the training and further education of publishing professionals and journalists. What is meant by such dismissive remarks is, for example: "Take care of those who are already on the market first." Some will also think: "We've just been missing better-trained competition." And everyone thinks: "We really have other things to worry about now!"
It is a fact that the educational offerings in commercial and - to a limited extent - also in journalistic communication are in some cases in sharp decline. This was particularly noticeable in 2003, when the consequences of the infamous second budget rounds became brutally apparent. "All external training courses canceled!" was the message from many prominent publishing houses - even those whose business was still going well.
The seminars were hit particularly hard; the federal diploma courses, such as our ninth for publishing specialists, were much less affected. The reason is obvious: most of the costs of the qualifying courses are borne by the junior staff. They invest time and money in themselves because they think long-term. Companies, on the other hand - fortunately not all of them - are increasingly thinking in the short term.
Investing in training and further education is particularly worthwhile in bad times. It is fundamentally wrong to make such a project, which is planned for the entire working life, dependent on economic fluctuations. Postponing is also pointless. Young people rightly demand their opportunities now and not in three or five years' time. Today more than ever, they are willing to make their own significant contributions. At the Media Institute and at the MAZ, I am always impressed by the seriousness and discipline of the participants.
In addition, the market sometimes behaves more favorably than is generally believed. In the current diploma course, for example, up to 4 out of 25 colleagues were temporarily unemployed. Two have since found something new, which incidentally corresponds to my experience from previous courses. Usually, half of the successful candidates are able to take on new areas of responsibility within a year, which almost invariably corresponds to a promotion. Incidentally, this is not only due to a change of job, but also, pleasingly often, within the original company.
The MAZ, the Swiss School of Journalism in Lucerne, provides a mirror image confirmation of this encouraging finding: 80 percent of the 54 women and men who graduated in the spring have found a job. A closer look even revealed that a surprisingly large number were able to take up not just any job, but the one they really wanted.
Conclusion: Our young publishers and journalists have opted for training and further education, even under difficult conditions. Now, before budgets are cut again, it is up to the bosses to send the right signals. Those who invest in education right now are demonstrating their belief in their own future.
Karl Lüönd pleads for publishing investment in education.
Last week was the final exams for publishing specialists. When I told a colleague about this, he said: "Oh yes, you're producing new unemployed people again!" At first I was annoyed by this remark, but then I was grateful, because the man with knowledge of the industry described with his reflexive remark pretty much exactly the mood that incorrigible people like me encounter today when they unflinchingly promote the training and further education of publishing professionals and journalists. What is meant by such dismissive remarks is, for example: "Take care of those who are already on the market first." Some will also think: "We've just been missing better-trained competition." And everyone thinks: "We really have other things to worry about now!"
It is a fact that the educational offerings in commercial and - to a limited extent - also in journalistic communication are in some cases in sharp decline. This was particularly noticeable in 2003, when the consequences of the infamous second budget rounds became brutally apparent. "All external training courses canceled!" was the message from many prominent publishing houses - even those whose business was still going well.
The seminars were hit particularly hard; the federal diploma courses, such as our ninth for publishing specialists, were much less affected. The reason is obvious: most of the costs of the qualifying courses are borne by the junior staff. They invest time and money in themselves because they think long-term. Companies, on the other hand - fortunately not all of them - are increasingly thinking in the short term.
Investing in training and further education is particularly worthwhile in bad times. It is fundamentally wrong to make such a project, which is planned for the entire working life, dependent on economic fluctuations. Postponing is also pointless. Young people rightly demand their opportunities now and not in three or five years' time. Today more than ever, they are willing to make their own significant contributions. At the Media Institute and at the MAZ, I am always impressed by the seriousness and discipline of the participants.
In addition, the market sometimes behaves more favorably than is generally believed. In the current diploma course, for example, up to 4 out of 25 colleagues were temporarily unemployed. Two have since found something new, which incidentally corresponds to my experience from previous courses. Usually, half of the successful candidates are able to take on new areas of responsibility within a year, which almost invariably corresponds to a promotion. Incidentally, this is not only due to a change of job, but also, pleasingly often, within the original company.
The MAZ, the Swiss School of Journalism in Lucerne, provides a mirror image confirmation of this encouraging finding: 80 percent of the 54 women and men who graduated in the spring have found a job. A closer look even revealed that a surprisingly large number were able to take up not just any job, but the one they really wanted.
Conclusion: Our young publishers and journalists have opted for training and further education, even under difficult conditions. Now, before budgets are cut again, it is up to the bosses to send the right signals. Those who invest in education right now are demonstrating their belief in their own future.
Karl Lüönd pleads for publishing investment in education.
> Karl Lüönd is a journalist and head of the Media Institute of the Swiss Press Association.
