MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Online influencer becomes fully-fledge university degree in its own right

Carlow's Southeastern Technological University (SETU) course welcomed its first 15 students last month

Working as an online influencer has become a subject to specialize in, according to an Irish university's decision to include such studies in its curricula. A job that did not exist until recently, it has become a popular career among Generation Z young people looking to carve out a future by posting content on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube, said South East University of Technology (SETU) in Carlow, 80 km from Dublin.

 Course director Irene McCormick admitted that the idea came about after 350 applicants signed up for a “Digital Hustle” activity delivered by TikTokers and initially planned for 30 students. “It got incredible traction, we could see the appetite for more, so we expanded it to the undergraduate level,” said McCormick, a former television producer and director, now in charge of the four-year degree in ”Content Creation and Social Media.”

Most students are already immersed in the digital space or work in it and want to expand their toolkit and knowledge, McCormick also told AFP. “You can try to teach yourself at home, but being trained with practice and theory on how to connect with target demographics online is going to make a big difference in your career,” she added.

The term “influencer” was officially added to the dictionary in 2019, and refers to a person known through the use of social media who endorses, promotes or generates interest in products and brands, often in exchange for payment. Hence, vast online audiences translate into huge earnings for creators, and thus many young Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) would consider a job as a professional vlogger, YouTuber or streamer. “Of course, people want to make money influencing, so we look mostly at personal branding, how to monetize being an influencer among large online followings,” McCormick explains. “Influencer posts on social media can sometimes be frivolous, but the real business is not - it's a very serious business,” she added.

After two years of development, the course welcomed its first group of 15 students last month.