The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has announced the unveiling of an industrial placement program for journalism students.

MCK made the announcement through a press release statement on Thursday.

The program identified media students undertaking diploma and degree training in accredited colleges and universities in the country as beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries will get placement in various departments in different media houses for a period of three months as they complete the course requirements necessary for graduation.

Recruitment and distribution of 400 trainees in groups of 100 per quarter will take place throughout the country.

The CEO of MCK David Omwoyo said the council had the need to set up infrastructure and offering support to promote and strengthen working relations between the media sector and training institutions in the country.

“In exercise of its mandate of setting standards and ensuring compliance with those standards, the Council has seen the need of setting up infrastructure and extending support to promote and strengthen working relations between the media sector and training institutions in Kenya,” Omwoyo said.

 Omwoyo also said the lack of functional relationship between the media industry and institutions in the sector has hindered students’ progress from getting the relevant exposure, as some are forced to pay for attachment opportunities.

“Lack of functional relationship between the media industry and academia in the sector has frustrated the attainment of practical industrial exposure that is critical to skills transfer and progression of students in journalism training institutions. Students seeking industrial attachment in the extreme are forced to pay for the period should they be lucky to get space,” he added.

Students will be identified and partner media houses will take part in the process after providing working space and supervision to the trainees.

MCK will provide up to Sh15,000 for transport and insurance for the trainee students.