Highlights
- Content creation has evolved from a hobby to a viable career path, especially among the younger generation. Social media platforms like TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube have opened opportunities for full-time influencers.
- South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow, Ireland is offering a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Content Creation and Social Media. The course covers topics such as video editing, business skills, cultural studies, and creative writing, preparing students to become self-employed influencers or content creators for companies.
- The influencer course at SETU aims to equip students with the necessary skills to engage their audience, monetize their content, understand PR and marketing, work with agencies and contracts, and even start their own businesses. It offers a comprehensive education for long-term success in the rapidly growing field of content creation.
It used to be making a career out of online content creation was unbelievable for many. Social media was just finding its legs in the 2000s as people only used it to connect with friends and family. Now, it's not unusual to find people working as full-time influencers on platforms like TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, and more. Content creation isn't just a hobby or something one routinely does to update their friends and followers anymore. It's officially become a viable career path, especially among the younger generation.
Many content creators and influencers today have varying stories of how they made it. What big names like Twitch streamer Pokimane would usually say is their success was a mix of hard work and pure luck. But for those who really want to dive into the technicalities of becoming an influencer, the South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow, Ireland apparently has a course for that.
What is The "Influencer" Course?
SETU is the first technological university in the southeastern region of Ireland. It's known for providing "quality education and amazing career and learning opportunities," as well as recreational amenities for students. The Carlow branch has a wide range of undergraduate courses, from public relations and marketing to sports management. This coming November, SETU will be opening applications for its new course: Bachelor of Arts in Content Creation and Social Media. Aptly called the "influencer" course by some people, the four-year course is said to cover topics such as video and audio editing, business skills, critical cultural studies, and creative writing.
Speaking to Irish broadcast channel RTÉ, Dr. Eleanor O'Leary, a SETU lecturer for media and communications, said that those who graduate from this course would be equipped with the skills to either become a self-employed influencer or become a content creator for a private company. Based on the topics mentioned above, SETU's influencer course seems to be covering a wide scope. Although TikTok has dominated the content creation space because of its snackable videos, SETU is likely covering everything to fully prepare prospective creators.
Dr. O'Leary also stated that there had been a growing interest among SETU students and employees because of the opportunities that have been presented to content creators throughout the years. Plus, the pay had been undeniably good for many of these influencers. Depending on the platforms that these influencers frequent, they could make thousands of dollars and more for the content they make alone -- not including yet the money they'll make from ad placements. For reference, YouTuber MrBeast earned over $167,000 in a week for one of his videos, while NPC TikTok streamer PinkyDoll could make around $7,000 per day.
Once news of SETU's influencer course broke out, many netizens seemed skeptical and questioned the validity of influencing and content creation as an actual job. Others have defended SETU's move as they acknowledged the success of many influencers and pointed out that the career had several layers to it. It's true that there have been influencers who became famous almost overnight, like streamers Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed, but SETU's course is said to educate students on how to keep their audience engaged and monetize that engagement for long-term success.
The business side of influencing doesn't stop there. Students will learn the PR and marketing side of content creation, which would be great for learning how to capture viewers' attention and gauge trends for future content. There's also understanding the part of the industry where influencers would have to work with agencies and deal with contracts. These skills would prove useful for brand collaborations, selling merchandise, and starting their own business for extra income. Amouranth is the perfect example of a content creator turned entrepreneur, which also adds to how all-encompassing this course seems set to be.
Some people might still have trouble understanding why an influencer exists, but that could be said about most new fields as they give rise. Many were skeptical of computers and technology at one point, after all. Future content creators and influencers just need the tools and knowledge to become successful in this field, and this degree could perhaps be the key.