Radio presenter
Philippe Perez is bringing his dream of working as a radio presenter one step closer to reality by undertaking a radio course. Perez, 25, has volunteered as a presenter at various community radio stations since he was a teenager, including 2RRR and FBi.
When he heard about the Certificate III in Radio Presenting course at 2SER’s radio school, based at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), he resolved then and there to transform his hobby into a profession.
“It’s my passion, but the radio industry is quite hard to get in to,” he says. “People want to have much more experienced people on radio out there.
“I came here because I wanted to do an accredited course. I’m not just learning new skills, it’s also a good facilitator for networking because you get to know people who work in the industry as all the lecturers are professionals.”
Perez works part-time as a customer-service operator in an environmental company while studying at 2SER. He enjoys his job, but says his heart lies in radio.
“I’m a creative person and I love music; I love presenting music shows and this is what I want to do,” Perez says.
The course begins with the basics, such as how to operate a studio panel and conduct an interview using radio recording equipment. It then moves on to more complex topics such as digital production and putting together news features for radio.
While Perez already had a good understanding of the basics of radio presenting from his volunteering experience, he says the course has enabled him to refine many of his radio skills.
“I needed help with my interviewing skills,” Perez says.
Perez continues to volunteer at community radio station 2RRR, where he has had a radio show for four years, but he has also secured a regular show at 2SER, called The Daily. His segment runs every Thursday and he says it gives him an opportunity to put what he has learnt into practice.
How to be a radio presenter
You can work in this field without formal qualifications, but opportunities are significantly increased with qualifications, such as a Certificate II or III in Radio Broadcasting.
