Learning to be a better storytellerMDIS in the News
Student’s love of telling and writing stories leads her to media and communications programme
Her love of storytelling was her main motivation for taking the course.
Miss Siti Nur Hidayah Samsuddin, 19, has loved telling and writing stories since she was in primary school.
Said the former Coral Secondary School student: “Since I was young, I loved telling stories to raise awareness of issues. I was a talkative child and learning to write essays in secondary school further honed my craft.
“In secondary school, I joined the photography club. But that didn’t work out, so I made my own videos for personal development.”
After receiving her O-level results in 2015, Miss Siti Nur Hidayah chose to take the private education route as she did not do well enough to gain admission into local polytechnics.
She did her research and came across the Diploma in Mass Communications awarded by the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS).
She found the eight-month programme a perfect fit and enrolled in the course in February 2015.
After obtaining the diploma, she worked for several months to help pay her way before enrolling in the six-month full-time Advanced Diploma in Mass Communications programme in June last year.
Students learn the latest media communications technological skills, such as broadcast journalism, film editing, event management, public relations and advertising.
LIFE SKILLS
They also learn life skills to communicate effectively.
Graduates of the programme can work as film directors, TV correspondents, producers, art directors, editors and public relations officers.
Miss Siti Nur Hidayah was thrilled that MDIS has well-equipped facilities, including industry-standard TV and radio studios, as well as audio and editing suites.
She said: “Our lecturers always encourage us to produce content regularly and tell us to use the facilities as if they were our own playground.
“We also join competitions. The work we produce become part of our portfolios.”
She added that MDIS lecturers are approachable and always available via WhatsApp and e-mail.
She said: “They are industry practitioners who are ready to share their experiences. They know their work, and their stories help us learn about the media industry.”
Many of Miss Siti Nur Hidayah’s classmates come from other countries. She is close to three of them, who are from Korea, Myanmar and Vietnam.
She said: “We are close and hang out often, especially when we are doing our graduation projects.
“They share how the media works in their home countries and it is eye-opening to see how different the media in their countries operate compared to Singapore.
“My Korean classmate shared that not many people in her home country enter the media industry as it is very competitive.”
STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES
Miss Siti Nur Hidayah hones her storytelling techniques by writing poetry and blogging.
Her parents, a 65-year-old security guard and 63-year-old housewife, and four older siblings are supportive of her studies.
She said: “In their eyes, it does not matter whether I study in public or private schools. What matters to them is that I enjoy what I am studying as they know that I cannot excel in something I don’t love.
“They know my love for storytelling, and are happy that I love my course and am doing well in it.”
After obtaining her advanced diploma, Miss Siti Nur Hidayah said she may proceed towards degree studies or work to gain experience before going back to school.
Miss Siti Nur Hidayah said: “I want to learn as much as I can in the media industry and build up my skills and experience before returning to school to strengthen my foundation.”
She is grateful to MDIS for the skills she has learnt so far and the good foundation she has built up for a possible future career in the media industry.
She said: “Studying in a private education institution (PEI) is as good as studying within our public school system.
“Don’t doubt yourself and the quality of the PEI you study in. Rest assured that you can be as good as any graduate from our local universities.”
Source: The New Paper, 11 January 2017 © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Click here to view PDF.