SAMCS launch poster. Click for a larger screenshot.

The Student Assistantship Multimedia Certification Scheme (SAMCS) was launched on 30 March 2006. This apprentice-style scheme allows students with budding talent in audio-visual, graphics and animation production to develop their skills and get paid for work.</P.

SAMCS was conceived to enable CIT to meet ever-increasing work requests, to reduce dependence on contract staff and to give students an opportunity to earn money while gaining marketable skills. The scheme adds value to those engaged in film-making and those who use video in course work.

The Centre for Instructional Technology allows students to specialize in six facets of production: video camera work, audio production, graphics & animation, non-linear video editing, documentation (packaging and replication) and video archival.

Students are selected based on their past experience in the chosen area. As the scheme involves on-the-job training, CIT requires interested students to have demonstrable basic competence in their preferred specialty.

There are four levels of certification corresponding to four respective levels of payment. Students begin at Level 1, equivalent to the average basic hourly rate in Singapore. They can work their way up to Level 4, which promises four times that rate.

An external evaluator conducts a practical and oral assessment for the certification. The current evaluator is Munauwir Abdul Rahman, the owner of Ads Vantage, a production and post-production company and consultancy. Mr Munauwir has been running Ads Vantage since 1999.

After chalking up 50 hours of work experience, students qualify to take the first level certification test. If the student passes the evaluation, he or she can move to the next pay scale and similarly work towards achieving the next level of certification. The number of prerequisite hours varies per specialization area and by certification level.

Even though 50 hours seems substantial, it is easily achievable due to the amount of production work which CIT undertakes. A pioneer batch of three students – Andy Koh, Barry Lim and Low Beng Kheng – has already been Level 2-certified.

In the long term, the assistantship opens doors to exciting future employment in video/multimedia production houses.

Applications for the SAMCS are currently closed. Students who are interested should look out for announcements concerning SAMCS on IVLE or listen to Radio Pulze for updates.