Commercial Radio & Audio and Swinburne partner to get students on air across Victoria

Commercial Radio & Audio and Swinburne have established a new partnership that gets students on-air in and into work at regional radio stations.

 Swinburne’s travel grant program enables up to five students per year to spend two weeks based at Ace Radio Network stations across Victoria. 

Swinburne Lecturer in Communications and Radio Peter Marcato says it’s great to be able to provide this kind of opportunity for students studying Media and Communication or Film and Television.

“Swinburne has a great history of graduates making their way into the commercial radio industry. We are now able to continue it with our partnership with Commercial Radio and Audio to provide real world opportunities for our students.

“Radio is a thriving industry and there is so much opportunity for students to make it a career. We hope this program will give Swinburne students a head start in finding a radio job.”

Third year Bachelor of Screen Production student Nathan James was placed in the Traralgon branch of the Ace Radio Network.

“I can’t overstate how much I enjoyed my time there,” he says. “I must admit at first, I was nervous as to how I’d fit in and how my skills would match those I was working with. From the moment I arrived, those fears disappeared. I found a group of people that I could instantly connect with, and I felt more welcomed than I ever could’ve expected.”

The whole experience was a constant joy, Nathan explains. After receiving his radio nickname, ‘Jonesy’, to carry through the rest of his career, he worked with and learned from staff who’ve made a lasting impression on him.

Nathan discovered his passion for radio by getting involved in Swinburne’s own student radio station.

“The placement taught me how to really work in radio. I learnt how the day-to-day operations of an announcer might look. Developing that routine has made me all the more passionate and determined to succeed in the career I dream of.

“The on-air work I’ve done has given me content I can put forward into job applications and even the work I’ll do at my remaining time at Swinburne.”

Lizzie Young, CEO of Commercial Radio & Audio, says that radio continues to be one of the most trusted and impactful media channels in the country, and regional stations are the backbone of that connection.

“At CRA, we’re committed to creating real-world opportunities that help students step confidently into the industry. This partnership with Swinburne gives future broadcasters meaningful, hands-on experience in vibrant local stations, and reinforces the vital role regional radio plays in developing talent, storytelling and community connection."