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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 1983)
Portland Observer, May 26, 1963 Section II Page 9 Communications: Potential unlimited K if W ith the advent o f technological innovations in communications, technical writers are needed so that scientific and technical inform ation can be readily understood. They re search, write and edit technical ma terial. Also, they may produce publications or audio-visual ma terials. Command o f the language and versatility o f style are tools o f the trade that enable technical writers to convey inform ation in a way that is helpful to people who use it— sci entists, technicians, executives, sates representatives, and the general public. In addition to their primary function, technical writers are often involved in marketing, advertising, A job with growth potential. . . •r . . F ' . Grassroots News. N . IF. — The field o f communication is one career with infinite possibilities for the 198.1 graduate. This is the conclusion reached by K X L news reporter. Michelle Gerald. “ Being a news reporter is my career. It is something in which I can continue to grow and progress. This is what makes it a career. I t ’s a career where you aren’t expected to do the same kind o f job for the rest o f your life. I can learn new techniques and con stantly im prove." A career in communication affords its members opportunities as vast as the universe. " Y o u never know where this medium will take you. It takes you through a lot o f different modes. I had never planned to be in radio, and here I am. I had never even planned to be an " O n A ir " person. I felt I could be content with just being behind the scenes and making it work from there. I really never had planned to be in news. So, there is no telling where I could be five years from now. I could be editor o f a news paper or an anchor with N B C news. Those aren’t things that l*m planning to shoot for, but they could happen. Right now. I ’m satis fied with radio .” K X L is an all news radio station, A .M . 750 and F .M . 95. “ W hat we have are news blocks and for a good four hours it’s just news. A t other times it is inform ation — blocks o f interviews for the public’s inform a tio n .” W hat kinds o f stories does Ms. Gerald cover? “ A little bit o f every thing! I cover some political issues like decisions made by the County Commissioners and City officials or a press release by some group who is angry at the Public U tility Commis- sioner. And even some kids at a playground who decided to send little messages in balloons in hopes a pen pal writes them back. It is a wide variety o f people and issues.” Currently. Michelle Gerald is working on a story about a new or ganization that w ill try to educate the public about Indians* treaties. She says her professionalism keeps her from getting too involved in her stories. "Sometimes it is hard when I cover issues and events that Technical writers p/'*' Michail« Gerald on the a ir ... hit close to home. Occasionally. I might cover a story and if I were in the audience I would have a d iffe r ent attitude about this person. The inform ation given and the way it is presented may be racist and sexist. As a reporter, 1 can just ask so many questions and they can keep giving me the same answers. I f 1 was a spectator, I would leave with the im pression that this person doesn't know what he or she is talking about.” Gerald says this doesn't happen too often. News communication is develop ing, technologically speaking, at an ever increasing rate. W hat forte should the youth o f *83 develop to prepare themselves for a slot in this (Photo: Richard J. Brown) profession? " A heavy concentration is needed on English, language and writing. Regardless o f how many fancy tape recorders, satellites or production equipment, it is still important for our youth to learn to read and write. They could be get ting these skills reinforced if parents would help. I, myself, believe that one teacher with thirty kids with d if ferent values and attitudes can just do so much. Especially when those kids come home and watch T V all day. I f the parent is not going to push them to get some reading done, or take them to the library, a child can only do so much. Both sides need to reevaluate what they are supposed to be doing and go from there." W hat arc her future plans? " M y future plans are to become a good news reporter. I want to be able to go into an interview and come out with all the inform ation there was to get, to conduct an interview where the subject is at ease, and to write it so the public can understand and learn from it .” Ms. Gerald highly recommends a career in communications. " I t is a lot o f hard work. G lam or is a weird word to use for this kind o f business because news can sometimes be so harsh. It never stops. I put in ten hours a day; when I go home I still watch the news. I have become an inform ation junkie. This is good because when you ask people ques tions, you want to base your infor mation on many different sources.” Her advice to the graduating class o f '83 is to take whatever profession (hey choose seriously. " I f you are a communicator your purpose is to let people know what's going on. I f you are serious about that purpose you will progress faster than a person who thinks he will do good in front o f a camera. It is not that hard to learn because you are right in the midst o f it. I also recommend any type o f job in communication as a stepping stone in your career. You learn as you go and If you stick with it you will always improve. Just don't ever give u p !” and public relations work. Many technical writers prepare reports on research. By communi cating research developments to other scientists, engineers and tech nicians, these reports help prevent duplication o f effort and speed sci entific and technical progress. Pro posal preparation is another im port ant duty o f technical writers. There are no rigid requirements for entry into the field. As a result, people having a variety o f back grounds find jobs as technical writ ers. Employers seek people whose educational background, work ex perience and personal pursuits indi cate they possess both writing skills and appropriate scientific or techni cal knowledge. Knowledge of graphics and other aspects o f publi cations production may be helpful in getting a job. An understanding of current trends in communication technology is an asset, and fam iliar ity with computer operations and terminology is increasingly im port ant. For inform ation on careers in technical writing and illustrating, contact: Society For Technical Communications, Suite 506, 815 St. N .W ., Washington. D .C . 20005. For inform ation on careers in business communication, contact American Business Communica tions Assn., c /o University o f Illin ois, 911 South 6th St., Champaign, III 61820. If you are interested In ap titude or interest tests, career or financial counsel ling, contact your school counselling office. 0 : Summer School \ registration : open now • Portland Public Schools* regular summer sessions w ill begin Jone 27, w ith re g is tra tio n m a teria ls now a v a ila b le th ro ug h June 13 at all elementary and secondary schools. The summer sessions, scheduled to run fro m fo u r to six weeks in len g th , w ill o ffe r basic, rem edial and enriched ele m en tary and secondary programs plus a driver- education program for high school students. M aralyn Turner Helzer, assistant su p erin ten dent fo r special p ro gram s, said the six-w eek-lo n g secondary session ending Aug. 5 will be held at Lincoln H ig h , w ith tw o shop courses o ffe re d at Benson Polytechnic. T h e fo u r-w e e k -lo n g elem entary session ending July 22 w ill be o ffe re d at H o lly ro o d P rim a ry (k in d e rg a rte n th ro ug h G ra d e 3 ), Grant High (Grades 4-8) and Wilson . H ig h (K -8 ). Elementary summer school hours w ill be 9 a m .-n o o n w eekdays, summer high school 8:30 a.m .-noon weekdays. R esident and n on -resident tu i tions fo r the sum m er school p ro grams are $70 fo r elem en tary stu- • dents and $90 fo r secondary ; students. Resident and non-resident students ta k in g classroom d rive r • education will pay $45, with behind- th e-w h eel in s tru c tio n costing an ; additional $40. N o tu itio n refunds w ill be made ■ after June 29. : F u rth e r in fo rm a tio n m ay be ! obtained fro m the summer school • office (249-2000, Ext. 212) or from f neighborhood schools. If you're looking for a career in the food industry, look to your friendly neighbors at Safeway. Call Safeway Employment Department...657-6400 or apply at the nearest State Employment Office. SAFEWAY SAFEWAY STORES, INCORPORATED “ An Equal Opportunity Employer” y ) v„ X, i <• f t * 9 . w ■t. » » - .C --ih J c iíZ - s i .
