Monday, May 12 - Saturday, May 17, 2025

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Network & Connect and get your start in Podcasting, On Air, Streaming, News/Talk, Sports, Social Media, Sales, Marketing, Promotions and more!

Take a huge step toward starting your career in On Air, Podcasting, Streaming, Audio Production, News/Talk, Sports, Social Media, Sales, Marketing, Promotions and more!

The Illinois Broadcasters Foundation’s “Audio Media Career Academy” powered by RAB creates opportunities for new and emerging careers in media.  It is truly an incubator of well-rounded, well-educated college students, or recent graduates with a passion for media and a determination to get into the business.

The National Radio Talent System™ is made up of multiple talent Institutes at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Each institute brings in industry professionals from around the country as Guest Speakers who bring their real-world knowledge to this intensive 6-day summer program.

The Illinois Broadcasters Foundation’s “Audio Media Career Academy” powered by RAB is the campus-to-career connection most students need to begin their broadcast career, each not only learning from the dozens of pros but are able to network with them individually. This proves invaluable, as most will otherwise never have such an opportunity to meet and speak with these professionals. Likewise, these pros already have an introduction to these students who are available for open positions.

Upon completion of the institute, students will further their networking opportunities with access the National Radio Talent System’s Career Center. This is where those in the industry are able to discover and hire NRTS graduates, who very likely, will be tomorrow’s industry leaders.

  • Now is the Time to Start Thinking Like a Pro
  • Radio's Digital Content & Social Media
  • Programming Sports Talk Radio
  • How to Get In and Win
  • Marketing and Promotions - Doing It Right
  • Basics of Great Voice Work and Production
  • Goal Setting & Time Management
  • Doing It Live & Voice Tracking
  • How to Get a Good Job
  • How to Do A Great Talk Radio Show
  • Basics of Doing a Great Music Radio Show
  • Music Scheduling: How & Why
  • Sales & Marketing
The highlight of the week will be a trip to Chicago where students will engage with Marquee Sports at Wrigley Field, visit the Big Ten Network studios, tour NBC5 and Cumulus/Chicago including WLS AM & FM.
What is the IBA Radio Talent Institute?

The IBA Radio Talent Institute is an intense 6-day program held on the campus of Columbia College in Chicago in partnership with the Illinois Broadcasters Association and National Radio Talent System.

National Radio Talent System is the only program of its kind in the world. It’s a system of Radio Talent Institutes on college campuses across America. Its mission is to discover, coach and nurture the next generations of professionals in the industry.

National Radio Talent System brings over 30 radio professionals to the IBA Radio Talent Institute to teach interactive sessions. Over the ten days you will personally learn from them, meet, mingle, and network with them. It could take years to meet and build relationships with this many broadcasters otherwise. Broadcast professionals from almost every aspect of the radio industry lead sessions; on-air, sales, digital, sports, news, production, management, marketing, programming, social media, etc.

After completion of the IBA Radio Talent Institute, you are highlighted on the National Radio Talent System website to broadcasters regionally and nationally. 70% of students who attend a Radio Talent Institute get their first job in broadcasting after graduation.

YES. You don’t have to choose one or the other. To date, every radio station has allowed their interns to break away from the internship for ten days to participate in Radio Talent Institutes.

College students, recent graduates, grad students, interns and part-timers at radio or TV stations are welcomed and accepted from all universities in the state and region. A total of 25 students are accepted on a rolling acceptance, so the earlier you apply, the better your chances.

The National Radio Talent System provides a “Certificate of Completion” from the IBA Radio Talent Institute and a “Radio Marketing Professional” certification from the Radio Advertising Bureau.

A $395 Registration fee is paid after you are notified of acceptance, and that cost includes a meal card for lunch to use during the 10 days. “In-Need” Scholarships are available.

Housing, if needed, is available for an additional fee.

If accepted, you will be notified within one week of submission. You will then be prompted to register and finalize your acceptance. 

You may cancel your registration and request a refund for the IBA Institute at Columbia College in Chicago, IL by April 15th, 2025.

Applications are due by April 30, 2025, but class size is limited to 25 so APPLY EARLY!

Qualifications:

  • A GPA of 2.5 or higher (you can ask for a waiver if lower)
  • A completed application form.
  • It is beneficial, though not mandatory, that the student is or was a communications, broadcast, media, or journalism major or minor. We do accept students from other majors including business, marketing, PR, advertising, english, photography, accounting, etc. who are working successfully in the industry.
  • You DO NOT need to curently be enrolled in college but we do recommend college age applicants (18-27 years old).
Please have all of the following available when you begin your application:
  1. Current resume
  2. A two-page essay addressing (Double-Spaced) :
    • Why you want to be in this program 
    • Why you want to pursue a career in broadcasting
    • What you hope to gain by attending this institute
  3. Air check, sales dialogue or other
    • If interested in on-air and programming (news, sports, air talent, etc.), please submit a 2-4 minute audio or video air-check. See “How To Create an Aircheck”.
    • If interested in sales or management, please submit a written sales presentation. See “How To Create a Sales Dialogue”.
    • Also, submit two references.
    • If interested in other aspects of broadcasting (IT or engineering, writing, promotions/marketing, broadcast law, video) you can submit material that represents your interests, it may be from a class project, podcast, blog, etc.
  4. OPTIONAL: One letter of recommendation (this can be from a professor, an employer, etc.)

If accepted, you will be notified within one week of submission. You will then be prompted to register and finalize your acceptance. 

Apply Now
Apply Now