Opinion: Is pursuing a career in journalism worth it?

Last Tuesday, a group of inquisitive students from Don Ross Middle School’s newspaper, the Don Ross Outlook, and their sponsor teacher, Ms. Natalie Mah, came to The Squamish Chief for a tour.

They had thoughtful questions about our jobs and the industry.

One student asked, “Is it still worth going into journalism?”

“Yes!”

Being a reporter is among the most exciting, engaging and fun jobs.

You learn something new daily, talk to people from all walks of life, and work in a newsroom with other equally curious reporters.

You make a living from writing, which is rare.

And if you are lucky, you can make a difference by sharing the stories of folks who others may otherwise not hear.

Nothing better than that.

But there are caveats — it is also stressful at times and more of a calling than a punch-a-timecard-type job. You don’t take off a uniform when you go home and forget about work.

Especially in a smaller town like Squamish, you need a thick skin at times, as the community will give you a piece of its mind about what you write.

But overall, it is 100% worth pursuing journalism as a career.

It would be best to have a journalism degree; luckily, there are several “jschools” in the Lower Mainland.

Langara College is a popular starting point for many reporters, including this editor and many other reporters who have worked at The Squamish Chief.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) also has a Broadcast and Online Journalism program focusing on digital media, broadcast (TV) journalism, and multimedia production.

UBC has a Master of Journalism degree program that has churned out plenty of quality journalists, including The Squamish Chief’s Andrew Hughes.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University offers a digital Journalism program worth checking out.

There are others, so do your research for what best suits you.

The world needs more journalists, if you ask us.

If you have any questions, we are always open to chatting here at The Squamish Chief ([email protected]).

And in the meantime, check out the Don Ross newspaper on the school’s website.