Every summer, and sometimes, even during the semester, we get approached by students who are required to do on-the-job (OJT) training with a company of their choice, or as recommended by their OJT advisers.
Most of the applicants we get are advertising or communications arts students who express their preference for studio work – working as photographers’ assistants. But they come totally without any experience in studio work, and some without even having attended photography classes. They also sometimes come with the mistaken notion that we would teach them basic photography.
Many years ago, we used to turn them away, as sometimes they just get in the way of a busy shoot. They pester the photographer with questions about the set up WHILE the photographer is setting up his lights or busy shooting. They stand close to the photographer peering into his camera viewfinder. Or, they would just sit in one corner watching everyone at work. We were getting upset with them until we realized that it was our fault that they were not given proper briefing before being allowed to observe studio shoots.
We like sharing what we know but we needed to design a program for the students who come on as OJTs. We did not want to just relegate them to menial tasks such as making coffee for clients or filing folders in the accounting department, as we heard they were being asked in other offices or studios. Surely, these are bright and enthusiastic students who could do and learn more.
I sat down with a few of them one summer and asked them for suggestions. I listened to them tell me what they liked and did not like with their OJT experiences, and what they would consider to be their ideal on-the-job training. They expressed the need to be involved in meaningful projects and to feel part of the team, and not considered as outsiders, or worse, as kibitzers.
Together with the OJT-students, we designed this program:
1. Each OJT will undergo an orientation on our company, and how we can work together. An interview with each student hopefully helps us uncover his interests, skills and preferences so that we could build a better fit between him and our company.
2. Before the actual shoot, the Studio Manager will brief him on the project, introduce him to the creative team, and prepare a short job description for him, so that he is actually a participating member of the team, and not just thrown in one corner of the studio to “observe.†He will also be told how to behave (some do’s and don’ts) and be useful when he is allowed to join the photographer.
3. To provide him with a meaningful project to work on between shoots, an OJT will be asked to work on a photography-related project. He could choose from a list that we would present, or he could suggest his own. Some of the projects have included the writing of “A Photographer’s Assistant’s Training Manual,†photographing cameras, lenses and lights for a “Visual Inventory of Photo Equipment,†or designing a photographer’s website.
4. He would be allowed to do some work at home, and as long as he touches base with us regularly – at least once a week, either personally or through email – to submit his progress report, we would honor the time that he claims he worked on the project while at home.
5. We would communicate the OJT’s progress to his adviser.
6. We would keep a library of projects accomplished by OJT students for actual implementation in our studio and to serve as inspiration to future OJTs.
During the short summer break when students get exposed to real-life work, we hope these suggestions help inspire students to make full use of their on-the-job training and for employers to harness the tremendous talent that these students offer.
We welcome suggestions from students, faculty members and other entrepreneurs on how to provide OJTs with a meaningful and profitable experience.
