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Seton Hall Student TAPped for Apprenticeship

Rachel Haggerty was one of a handful of students selected for the program

This article was originally published on the website of Seton Hall University’s college of communication and the arts.

Rachel Haggerty in Las Vegas at NAB Show is pictured on the show floor, where she spoke with vendors about new technology in the broadcast field.

Rachel Haggerty, a student in the visual and sound media program within the Seton Hall University College of Communication and the Arts, was recently accepted into the National Association of Broadcasters’ Technology Apprenticeship Program, a competitive opportunity that accepts less than 10 applicants nationwide.

Over six months, students in the program are exposed to the broadcast engineering and technology industry through a series of activities that refine their skills and prepare them for successful careers post-graduation. Key highlights include placement in a two-month, hands-on apprenticeship at a radio or television station and educational training for the Society of Broadcast Engineers’ exam, taken to become a Certified Broadcast Technologist.

“I was beyond excited when I found out I was accepted to the program,” said Haggerty. “I applied right away when the applications were sent out. The program is incredibly detailed, and I’m looking forward to really understanding the field and figuring out how I will best fit in the role of a future engineer.”

TAP participants, including Haggerty, toured the NBC studio in Las Vegas.

She is one of four students selected for this year’s cohort. TAP was an ideal fit for Haggerty, who is heavily involved in the technical operations department at WSOU(FM) 89.5, the university’s radio station.

“One of the most important parts of radio is the technology. If something goes wrong, the engineer steps in to troubleshoot. This program will help me become that person in one of my favorite environments, the radio station,” said Haggerty.

OUT IN THE FIELD

In April, Haggerty traveled to Las Vegas for the NAB Show, an annual gathering of over 90,000 industry professionals discussing the latest happenings in the industry. There, she joined sessions on career opportunities for broadcast engineers, learned about current trends and attended events on Women in Technology and the Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology Conference.

During the show, she visited a remote broadcast truck and was able to view the technology used by professionals in the field.

Outside of the show, Rachel also toured the studios of NBC with her fellow TAP participants.

“Radio and TV stations, as well as networks and production companies, are all facing a shortage of broadcast engineers and broadcast technologists and TAP is helping to address this problem,” said Mark Maben, general manager of WSOU. “I am extremely proud of Rachel for being accepted into this prestigious program. She is bright, creative, hardworking and exactly the type of broadcast engineer our industry needs right now and in the decades ahead.”

The program also exposes students to various professional opportunities, including networking.

At present, Haggerty is participating in a summer apprenticeship, where she will work hands-on at WAXQ(FM) in New York. In the past, participants have worked in organizations including iHeartRadio, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Ion Media Networks and more.

Haggerty on the job at her internship at WAXQ(FM) in New York.

During the show, she also visited a remote broadcast truck and was able to view the technology used by professionals in the field.

While Haggerty has already gained experience in the field through her work in the station at WSOU, as well as in the classroom and television studio during her visual and sound media classes, she’s eager to learn more.

[Impressions on the Job From a 2018 TAP Participant]

“One thing that sets me apart from the engineering field is the sheer amount of communication work I’ve done,” she noted. “I’ve entered the program with the education of someone in news and sportscasting, rather than just a technology education. The hands-on training is going to be my favorite part because I’ll be observing established engineers and trying things myself.”

The program will conclude in September, finishing with a two-day learning conference at the NAB headquarters in Washington, D.C., with educational sessions from the NAB’s technology department, active broadcast engineers and the Leadership Foundation.

For more information about the visual and sound media program in Seton Hall University’s college of communication and the arts, contact Associate Dean Thomas Rondinella at thomas.rondinella@shu.edu.

For information about WSOU, email General Manager Mark Maben at mark.maben@shu.edu.

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