No more just for fun

It's a job that didn't exist until recently but becoming an influencer is an ever more popular career path among Gen-Z youth in the modern era of social media.

Now a first-of-its-kind course at an Irish university is teaching wannabe influencers how to convert online presence and content on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube into revenue streams, AFP reported.

"Influencing is something that's catching fire," course director Irene McCormick told AFP at South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow, an hour's drive southwest from the capital Dublin. The idea grew out of a summer crash course "Digital Hustle" launched by McCormick that was taught by TikTokers and attracted 350 applicants for 30 places.

"It got amazing traction, we could see the appetite for more, so we broadened it to degree level," said McCormick, a former television producer and director.

After two years of development the course - a four-year-long bachelor's degree in "Content Creation and Social Media" - received accreditation and welcomed its first intake of 15 students last month. On the state-of-the-art campus, students chatted, took selfies and scrolled their social media feeds on smartphones during a break between classes.

"My friends tell me I talk a lot so I thought I might as well make money out of it and try this course," Harry Odife, 22, told AFP in the campus TV studio during a roleplay exercise.

Most of the students are already immersed in the digital space or working in it and want to expand their toolset and knowledge, McCormick said.

"You can try to learn yourself at home but being empowered with practice and theory about how to connect with target demographics online is going to make a big difference to your career," she added.

The term "influencer" was officially added to the dictionary in 2019, and refers to a person well-known through use of social media who uses their celebrity to endorse, promote, or generate interest in products and brands, often for payment.

Now the most prominent such as YouTube challenge stunt creator MrBeast and gaming vlogger KSI tap vast online audiences, earning huge sums per sponsored post or via brand sponsorships and advertisements.

Surveys consistently show that most Gen-Z youths - those born between 1997 and 2012 - would consider a job as a vlogger, YouTuber or professional streamer.

"Of course people want to make money from influencing, so we look particularly at person branding, how to monetise being influential over large online followings," said McCormick.