Ede Poly Students Recount Journalism Experience After SIWES At CityMirrorNews

Two students from Federal Polytechnic Ede have described their industrial training at CityMirrorNews and City Mirror TV as a period of immense learning, hands-on exposure, and personal growth.

They explained how the industrial training allowed them to gain practical knowledge beyond what they had learned in school, from news writing and reporting to covering court cases and political assignments.

The students also learned technical skills such as handling cameras and producing content for broadcast, giving them a holistic view of journalism in practice.

Christianah Oladosu, one of the interns, said she was “overwhelmed and lucky” to be among the students who interviewed the First Lady of Osun State, Chief Mrs Titilola Adeleke, at an empowerment Programme, an experience she described as unexpected and memorable.

“I never imagined I could meet her anywhere. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Oladosu said.

She added that her daily tasks included news writing and reporting, which she enjoyed most, though handling the camera was challenging.

Another intern, Hamidat Olatunde, said the internship helped her connect theoretical knowledge from school with practical skills.

“I gained a lot of experience from both the theory I learnt in school and the practical work here. I learnt how to handle a camera, went on political and other assignments, and even covered court cases,” she said.

Olatunde described the working environment as accommodating but noted that transportation was a challenge due to the distance from her residence.

“My boss is a disciplinarian, so I had to adapt to ensure I wasn’t sent back home, be serious and focus. SIWES is a very short period to gain knowledge about what you have been taught in school.” she said

Their industrial-based supervisor, Boluwatife Adedokun, commended the students for their dedication and improvement during the internship.

“When they came here, it was clear they had learnt a lot about Mass Communication in school, but they didn’t really know how to write news stories. After we guided them, they improved significantly. They have gone on assignments without complaints and now have several bylines they can publish themselves,” she said.

Adedokun added that the students showed curiosity, blended well into newsroom operations, and could handle tasks independently with minimal supervision. However, she encouraged them to continue improving their grammar and writing skills.

“They can still work more on their grammatical structures, but overall, they have done well and adapted quickly to newsroom life,” she said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Asiwaju Ayobami Agboola, advised the students to remain focused, disciplined and strategic in their academic and professional pursuits, while also urging them to uphold values that will protect their personal integrity and family reputation