Students entering the Journalism and Media Convergence programs in Fall 2022 at the St. Clair College MediaPlex will have an innovative class added to their program curriculum – Drone Technology and Media Production.
Once used exclusively by the military, remotely piloted aircraft are now employed in an extensive list of applications and uses. These include aerial photography for journalism and film, emergency rescue, real estate marketing, wildlife and historical conservation, agriculture and outer space.
Media specialists use drones to cover bombed-out places in war zones, sporting events, marketing videos and filming in remote or inaccessible regions. Journalism and Media Convergence coordinator Veronique Mandal said she believes this course will give students in those programs another skill to market when seeking employment.
“Media graduates today have to be able to take a diverse skill set with them when they graduate and look for work in a competitive field,” said Mandal. “We see the addition of Drone to the curriculum giving them an edge and making them even more marketable. Many of our graduates find unique jobs in non-traditional media and we want to provide them with every opportunity to be successful.”
One of those non-traditional media careers is in the real estate field. Jump Realty Inc. Brokerage is donating two drones for use in the Journalism and Public Relations programs, as well as providing new internship opportunities for MediaPlex students and a scholarship.
The course will be taught by technology experts and a licensed pilot.
“Our curriculum is reviewed and updated on a frequent basis, and we are always keeping an eye on innovations we know will benefit our students,” said Jimmy Parsons, Chair of the School of Media Art and Design. “This new Drone course will certainly bring excitement into the programs, but I think it will also be a tremendous asset to our students when they graduate.”