JMC final-year students get hands-on experience in print

The need to build entrepreneurship in communication amongst students studying in the department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) at the University of Buea, was at the forefront of a practice visit to a printing house in Limbe.

Over 70 students participated in the one-day trip organized by the UB Association of Student Journalists (ASJUB), on Thursday, April 24.

The students were chanced to have practical lessons of their three-year-long studies in the field of journalism.

Tanjong Moses, ASJUB President, said the trip boosted the student’s knowledge of design, printing and publishing. He added that it put the students on the right pedestal for entrepreneurial success in their careers.

“You never know what can spark people’s inspiration to start businesses, so it is good that we give them this experience,” the ASJUB President said.

Students, after the trip, testified of its significance in their journey towards professionalism. One of the students, Sandrine Ndukong, explained that the trip exposed her to the various paper types she had learned about. Most remarkable for her was printing her name on a pen.

Tracy Titie, another student, found the lamination process fascinating, while her mate Ndipetta Lydia, said she had the opportunity to familiarize herself with different printing machines and printing techniques. “I saw the different speeds at which industrial and digital printers work, and how digital printing is rapid though expensive.”

The students were accompanied to Limbe by Dr. Eng. Otto Enyame, a JMC course 406 – Desktop Publishing and Printing lecturer for the 2024/2025 academic year. He affirmed that by seeing how the job is done in real life and even getting an opportunity to do a few things, students can expand their understanding beyond abstractions. “If a student grasps and holds on to just this course, they can make it big in life,” he noted.

Prof. Julius Che Tita, the Chief Executive Officer of the Limbe-based printing house and journalism and communication trainer at JMC with decades of experience, said he felt proud of his institution and was glad to be guiding the students into a real business. He and his team took the students from one unit to another, explaining concepts ranging from design, publishing and printing. They equally responded to the questions asked by the students, providing details about how the business functions.

According to Dr. Lizzie Wantchami, journalism department head, the current goal of training in JMC is entrepreneurial. She said the approach is born from the fact that, many graduates today do not have jobs. She, with the support of ASJUB, have continued to put in much work to ensure that the department equips students to succeed in the present evolving and competitive communication landscape.