I'll be submitting my thesis for a Master of Communications tomorrow. I'm vacillating wildly between confidence and abject terror. I examined vertical video on #IGTV. While doing that, I worked full-time in marketing and have another job doing social media management.

I did my Bachelor of Arts (Communications-Advertising) way back when because I thought it would get me a job in advertising. It didn't - mainly because nobody at CSU told me about AWARD School. It bugs me to this day.

Here's the kicker though. Even though I didn't know where my BA would take me (and I'm still paying it off), I still don't regret doing it. I'm a highly skilled professional working in regional Australia. I'm doing what I love.

I'm still #learningbydoing every day because my BA taught me critical thinking skills. It taught me to be self-sufficient and taught me that I can direct my own learning. It wasn't a vocational degree - something I didn't understand at the time - but it is still valuable.

If you hike fees on these courses it won't be the end of the world. But I worry it will limit access to people who can afford the hefty price tag - people predominantly in metro areas.

We don't need more industry experts in metro areas. We need writers, artists, communicators, and critical thinkers in regional areas to drive innovation and spark creativity. Seriously, why should Sydney and Melbourne get all the fun?

When I did my first internship at an ad agency in Newcastle, I was told they didn't employ anyone unless they'd already worked at an agency in Sydney. What trash! As if the only good creative brains are those that have percolated in that giant grease-trap of a city!

We need more comms experts everywhere! Video game developers in Tamworth, copywriters in Armidale, policy experts in Shepparton, filmmakers in Orange, speech-writers in Dalby, marketers in Mildura! Make comms fields accessible to all and decentralise those industries.

Reinvigorate regional Australia!
#freethebrains!

Damn, forgot to add #MyArtsDegree to the top tweet in this thread.
Anyway. Arts degrees produce more than just artists. Arts degrees also produce media professionals of all stripes, all of which are solely needed in regional Australia.