Pre-internship Training Module Development and Standardized Procedure Development for Journalism Students Internship Placement

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Organization: MERSA Media Institute

Deadline: November 28, 2025

Job Description

Job Overview

Employment Type: Individual Contract

Organizational Profile

MERSA Media Institute is a nonprofit media policy think tank that works to help create vibrant, responsible, and independent media institutions, professional unions, and education centers through research, capacity building, and institutional support in Ethiopia.

Position Summary

Context

MERSA Media Institute (MMI), as part of its ongoing project, has conducted a national assessment on journalism internships in Ethiopia, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by female students during their internship stay and persistent gender inequalities that shape their opportunities. The assessment revealed significant disparities and structural gaps in how universities prepare and assign students for internships, particularly regarding skills readiness, mentorship, and institutional support.

In response to these findings, MMI plans to develop a training module and standardized procedure for internship placement in journalism departments that guides and prepares journalism students for internships. The training module aims to equip students, especially female students, with the necessary professional, ethical, and practical skills for successful internship experiences. The procedure will guide universities on how to assign students to internships, prepare them through skills training, and ensure gender-responsive support during the internship period. It will be translated into Amharic to ensure accessibility and practical implementation in Ethiopian universities.

To this end, MMI seeks to engage a qualified consultant to develop a comprehensive training module and standardized procedure tailored for journalism students and universities prior to the internship placements. The consultant will work in close consultation with relevant university departments to ensure the module aligns with academic objectives, addresses identified gaps, and promotes gender-responsive and inclusive learning practices.

The consultant must submit a first draft of both the training module and the standardized procedure by mid-December 2025. After the draft submission, the consultant is required to conduct a case study/pilot test to assess whether the draft module and standardized procedure are applicable and practical within a real university setting. The final, revised versions of both documents must be submitted by mid-January 2026.

Key Responsibilities

Who can apply?

We are seeking an experienced professional with a strong background in curriculum or training module development, preferably within the fields of journalism, communication, or education. The ideal candidate will:

• Have proven experience in designing training programs, modules, practical procedures, and guidelines, particularly for university students or young professionals.
• Demonstrate strong ability to interpret and translate study findings into practical and actionable training content and procedures or policy documents.
• Possess excellent skills in curriculum design and module development, including structuring learning objectives, methodologies, and evaluation tools.
• Have experience in gender-sensitive program design, ensuring inclusivity and responsiveness to the needs of female students.
• Exhibit strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with university departments and project teams.
• Demonstrate excellent command of English and Amharic, both in writing and oral communication.
• Be capable of delivering high-quality outputs within the agreed timeframe, with minimal supervision..

Scope of Work

The consultant will develop a pre-internship training module and standardized internship placement procedure for journalism students based on the findings of the national assessment on gender gaps and internship challenges. Specifically, the consultant will:

For Training Module:

• Review the national assessment findings to identify key gaps in internship assignment, preparation, and support.
• Design a practical, gender-responsive training module with clear objectives, session outlines, and evaluation tools.
• Provide recommendations on delivery methods and duration of the training.
• Present the draft module for review, incorporate feedback, and submit a finalized version ready for implementation.
• The draft training module must be submitted by mid-December 2025

For Standardized Procedure:

• Engage with journalism departments to ensure the procedure is aligned with academic standards, policies, and departmental needs.
• Develop a comprehensive procedure document, including steps for student assignment, pre-internship preparation, skills training, mentorship, and monitoring during the internship.
• Ensure the procedure is gender-responsive, addressing specific barriers faced by female students.
• Translate the finalized procedure into Amharic for practical implementation.
• Present the draft procedure for review and validation with MMI and university departments, incorporating feedback into the final version.
• Deliver the final procedure ready for implementation within journalism departments.

The draft standardized procedure must be submitted by mid- December 2025. After the draft submission, the consultant will conduct a case study/pilot test to evaluate the practicality and applicability of the training module and the standardized procedure within a university department. Final versions of both documents must be submitted by mid-January 2026

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables:

1. A detailed outline of the training module based on assessment findings and stakeholder input.
2. A finalized pre-internship training module including facilitator guide, participant materials, and evaluation tools.
3. A draft standardized internship placement procedure in English for review and validation.
4. A finalized procedure document translated into Amharic, ready for implementation in university journalism departments.
5. A case study/pilot test report demonstrating how the draft module and procedure were tested and refined.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Journalism, Communication, Education, Gender Studies, or a related field.
• Proven experience in training design, curriculum or module development, preferably in higher education or media-related programs.
• Proven experience in developing procedures, training modules, or institutional guidelines, preferably in higher education or media-related programs.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret study findings and translate them into practical training content.
• Demonstrated ability to translate research findings into practical, implementable procedures.
• Experience in gender-responsive program design and youth-focused capacity-building initiatives.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to engage academic and institutional stakeholders.
• Excellent command of English and Amharic, including translation of professional documents.
• Ability to deliver high-quality outputs independently and within deadlines.

How to apply?

Qualified and interested experts are invited to submit the following to: recruitment@mersamedia.org by November 28, 2025:

• A detailed CV highlighting relevant experience.
• A cover letter (1 page) summarizing your qualifications and approach to the assignment.
• Daily consultancy rate for 10 working days, disaggregated for
• (a) training module development and
• (b) standardized procedure preparation

Equal Opportunity

MERSA Media Institute is an equal-opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and afford equal opportunities to employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.