Julia Holman

I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (Spanish) degree in 2008.

A typical career for someone with my qualifications is difficult to describe as the media landscape is changing so dramatically. Who knows what the media landscape will look like in the future, but I know that there will continue to be a hunger for news and for people to tell compelling stories.

How UTS helped me to be career-ready

UTS prepared me for my employment with the opportunity of studying overseas. The year overseas in Chile was the perfect preparation for a job in journalism. It forced me to work outside of my comfort zone, to try new things and to be brave when faced with difficult circumstances. It also broadened my understanding of what was happening beyond my little patch of the world. When I moved to South America I knew very little about the continent — but after 12 months there I had travelled across eight countries in the region, become fluent in one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, and made friends from across Latin America and the world. I also volunteered at an online newspaper while I was studying which gave me some great experience to take back to Australia.

A day in the life of a journalism graduate

In my role as the Interview Producer with ABC7:30 there’s no such thing as a typical day — every day is different, and many are very eventful! The key editorial staff at 7.30, myself included, have a daily conference call at 9am where we discuss the top stories of the day. By the time we get on that call we’re expected to have read a number of newspapers and listened to key radio slots to make sure we’re across the agenda. Once that call wraps up I’m busy making calls to the people we want to interview that day. It’s stressful but extremely satisfying when you land a big interview that everyone’s talking about the next day. We regularly do interviews with guests who are overseas — anywhere from Iraq, Afghanistan, the US, Europe or China — so sometimes I’m up late and night or very early in the morning calling people on the other side of the world to try to line them up for an interview.

My advice to you

My advice to anyone considering International Studies is that if you love the idea of travel and meeting people from all around the world, this is definitely a degree for you! One thing I’d say is that it’s normal to feel nervous before you head overseas on an in-country study experience. I felt really anxious before I headed to Chile, but all the problems I imagined quickly disappeared, and instead I it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.