What is your role?
Jenna is in her second year of a Graduate Diploma in Radio.
What were you doing before this?
Still working at NOVA Entertainment in sales and advertising (the
AFTRS course is part-time). She had done some production and radio
work and really liked it.
“I found out about this course and decided to do it, because a few of the
on- air presenters at NOVA came and did this course at AFTRS.”
Are you originally from Sydney, Australia?
Yes, from Cronulla.
What is your favourite thing to do when not at work?
She enjoys Pilates and hanging out with her family and friends.
What is the happiest moment of your life?
“I feel like the happiest moment of my life so far was actually when my brother had his first baby. Cause I was always the littlest, I was always the baby, so I never had someone who was littler than me before in my life.”
If it was your last day on earth, what would your last meal be?
“I think my last meal would be…either my nonna’s or my mum’s lasagna.”
A bit more…
Jenna’s interest in the radio medium goes way back.
“I just always loved listening to the radio and I love speaking and I love talking and I love entertaining and I always thought that was something I’d want to do.”
However, she never really knew how someone would go about getting a career in radio. In the old days, a cadet could walk into a radio station and work their way up to being an announcer but that doesn’t happen anymore. These days, radio stations are networked and syndicated.
So, with good academic results at school, Jenna instead completed a double degree in Law/Media & Communications at uni. Law never really interested her, and she opted for work in sales and advertising, eventually landing a job at NOVA Entertainment. After getting a taste for production and radio work, Jenna decided to enroll in
the course at AFTRS. Thankfully, they had just begun offering part-time attendance for the radio course which meant she didn’t have to quit her job.
“I have a very different experience of AFTRS because I’m the first stream of part-time that Radio has offered.”
The AFTRS radio school has three fully functioning studios, a classroom, and a computer lab with editing equipment for sound and video.
“Radio has diversified so much that we learn so much more here than you would if you just started announcing 20 years ago…”
Jenna has been involved in creating podcasts as well as being part of the school’s in-house radio station.
“We broadcast out of “I Heart Radio” four times a year for two weeks each time.”
AFTRS has very professional staff with good industry connections.
“Most of the teachers have worked at radio stations for 20 years or so and then they come and teach here.”