Since last September, the South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow, an Irish university located 80 km from Dublin, has offered a 4-year course specially dedicated to influencers. Its name: “Content creation and social networks”. It confirms the professionalization of a profession that requires multiple skills, well beyond clichés and preconceived ideas.
Learn all facets of the profession
Quoted by BFMMarta Hughes Bravo, one of the students, underlines: “A lot of people think it’s easy to be an influencer, that you just have to post 60-second videos on TikTok. But it’s much more than that! »
In fact, as any good content creator knows, you have to be extremely organized to last over time. The 15 students who embark on this training will therefore have access to courses dedicated to psychology, storytelling, data analysis, the production of shows, and even entrepreneurship. They will also be trained technically to learn how to use cameras and microphones. Finally, practice will also involve completing internships in companies.
As explained it Eleanor O’Leary, lecturer in media and communications at the university, told Irish Broadcasting last year RTÉ if people can become content creators by accident, this course aims to perfect their practices:
As someone who “is a star”, who creates content at home or on their own, they may have no understanding of this whole part of the industry where there are contracts, agencies and the companies involved.
A very lucrative sector
Irene McCormick, the director of this course, agrees: “You can try to learn on your own at home, but gaining practical and theoretical knowledge on how to reach a target audience will make a big difference in your career”.
The sector of content creators and influencers taken in the broad sense has taken on increasing importance according to Eleanor O’Leary who indicates that it generates around 16 billion euros globally. Enough to create many vocations, even if there are unfortunately many called and few chosen.
To find out more about the profession and the different steps to becoming an influencer, you can read our very comprehensive guide dedicated to this subject here.
