Photojournalism Jobs Education and Training

Launch a photojournalism career with the right education and skills

Whether you have photojournalist jobs at your company you need to fill or you want to start your own photojournalism business, you need to understand the training and education that photojournalists today are expected to receive. The training of most photojournalists depends on three things: a formal education or degree program, practical training and non-skill training.

Those looking for careers in photojournalism seek out a formal education or degree program to learn the skills they need in order to get a job. These skills may include camera skills, editing skills and the computer skills needed to create multimedia projects out of photos. Beyond this, however, students also need to seek hands-on training and learn about the photojournalism job market. When pursuing photojournalism training, consider:

1. Find reputable schools that open photojournalism employment opportunities to you.
2. Familiarize yourself with program courses to hone in on the specific skills you should be developing.
3. Learn about the job market so that you can position yourself for a great career.
   

Select the right training to get photojournalist jobs

Landing photojournalism jobs depends not only on formal training and schooling, but also on learning the basics through practical, hands-on practice. Look for a photojournalism course or degree at a school that offers lots of practical field work as well as a career counseling center that will help you find and apply for jobs in photojournalism. Whether you are focusing on practical or school training, strive to network with professionals in your field. Letters of recommendation from these professionals can help you get started in your photojournalist career.

Read course listings to get a sense of the skills you need for careers in photojournalism

Most photojournalism schools offer listings of courses they offer to those who are interested in photojournalism jobs education and training. This course information is a very useful way to learn about the skills employers will demand when offering photojournalism employment. Many courses today emphasize digital photography, multimedia and editing skills, as well as ethics education.
The Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism has a detailed description of what photojournalism degree programs offer and is a useful resource for understanding what to expect from a degree program.

Conduct your own research into a photojournalism career to learn about opportunities

Most formal education and programs are designed for students seeking journalism photography jobs and these programs focus on giving you the skills you need in order to get a photojournalism job. However, in order to be successful, you also need to educate yourself about the photojournalism job market. To do this, you will need to study the job outlook for photojournalism jobs and evaluate where you are most likely to find a photojournalism job.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Division of Occupational Employment Statistics has a comprehensive chart detailing the job outlook for photojournalists and photographers. Monster.com also has a useful article outlining what students need to know beyond just skills to land a photojournalist job.

• Many journalism photography jobs rely on a student's portfolio, which is a collection of photos taken by the student displaying his or her talent. A great deal of a job-hunter's efforts should go into developing the best possible portfolio.

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