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
'
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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”
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