TVDM Seniors Meet With NBCUniversal Global Media Operations

Since the housing crisis and subsequent Great Recession, a real concern for university students has been their ability to find gainful employment post-graduation, according to some reports up to 45% of graduates from 2009-2013 are underemployed in ‘non-college jobs’ – or jobs not requiring a college degree. Working in a non-career job, being underemployed, or even working outside of their area of study can be demoralizing for new graduates, but Montclair State University’s Patricia Piroh is working hard and helping new SCM graduates establish themselves in the television business.

Piroh, the Associate Director of Broadcast and Media Operations with SCM’s TVDM, put together a cooperative opportunity via mutual friends and networking with NBCUniversal’s Global Media Operations. The Global Media Operations is NBCUniversal’s centralized team of engineers and operators responsible for building and supporting the global content supply chain across all of NBCUniversal’s global portfolio.  They manage, prepare and deliver all of NBCUniversal’s content to TV screens, mobile devices and other viewing platforms everywhere around the world. This friendship is equal parts networking, advising, and employment opportunity. Every year, Piroh, along with others from SCM, bring a new group of seniors to meet with NBC executives and directors, the most recent event took place on May 9 at the NBC offices in Englewood Cliffs. At this organized meet-and-greet, graduating seniors had a chance to receive professional advice on their chosen careers, as well as get a unique inside look at what these jobs entail from Montclair alumni and network executives.

One of the most important aspects of this union is that it gives the graduates a chance to get their foot in the door and start their careers at NBC. SCM graduates end up working on anything from national NBC promos to quality control. The jobs are generally entry-level, but even these positions are highly coveted and competitive and require a year or two of experience.  However, the quality of Montclair’s SCM graduates has impressed NBC, and while those at the network prefer experience from job applicants, they are willing to train SCM graduates, because of their exceptional training while in school.  The jobs themselves are full-time jobs, and since NBC hires from within, the entry level jobs have the potential to be upgraded to staff positions within a year.  And, assuredly, the jobs could be seen as a stepping stone to greater things. Between the quality of SCM’s graduates and the quality of jobs offered, 13 of 15 graduates who have attended these events have been hired. One of those new hires is Tyler Rosenberg, class of ’17, who stated "Working at NBC Universal has been an amazing experience. Having the opportunity to collaborate with my former classmates, friends and new colleagues has allowed me to positively grow both personally and with the company. I love my job and I am eager to further my career at NBC Universal."

According to Patricia Piroh, who originated the opportunity for recent graduates, “The relationship between NBC and the School of Communication and Media has been an excellent and most fruitful one. Our students are able to apply for positions within NBC’s vast enterprise and many are hired right out of college to begin their careers. And NBC is the beneficiary of our bright and talented grads–it is a win-win for us both!"

With this relationship and through the hard work of our graduates, we expect to seem many great things come from our new alumni in the years to come and wish them the best of luck.