IT journalists commend NITDA for digital skills training

Some members of the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), have commended the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for training journalists on the art of modern day technology skills for enhanced reportage.

The journalists spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the conclusion of the five-day training organised for NITRA members at the e-Government Training Centre of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria in Abuja.

The training which focused on “Digital Skills in News Reportage for Journalists” was aimed at equipping reporters with skills to report professionally, efficiently and be at par with their counterparts globally.

Mr Jude Itam said that the training exposed him to some tools he was ignorant of.

“It was in this training I came across an application like Happy Scribe that can assist your work, it makes for easy transcription among other things it can help a journalist do.

“I also got to know that being a journalist requires me to be confident and develop my public relations skill because it goes well with journalism,” he said.

Itam, however, appealed that subsequent trainings should involved expanded practical sessions and demonstrations.According to him, the training should be taken to a location outside the comfort zone of the journalists to ensure members attach a level of seriousness to it.

In the same vein, Mr Ogaga Ariemu said the initial part of the training which was majorly theory was impactful because it addressed the needs of a journalist in the COVID-19 era. Ariemu requested for consistent digital skills training because it would ensure consolidation of the digital economy policy and its implementation.

“Acquiring digital skills should be like three to four times annually because ICT is evolving and the training should be often too,” he said.
Mrs Vivian Awa said prior to the training she would sometimes sit long into the night to transcribe her interviews but, had acquired a new skill that could assist her to do it within a very short time and enable her to turn in her report early.

Awa urged other agencies of government to support journalists with such trainings and tools to enhance their work.Mr Owoicho Sunday told NAN that more time should be allotted for demonstrations, adding that the practical session had Information overload.
Sunday regretted that the real aim of the training was not met because tools given for better work experience was done toward the end of the programme.

“I think that more time should have been given for practicals because what we learnt can drive the digital Nigeria agenda,” he said.

According to him, the agency and others interested in training journalists subsequently should put measures in place for strict compliance and attendance, as well as provide accommodation.