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June 2008 News

Take an e-citizen course

What’s an e-citizen course? Why not try one out at www.e-citizen.gov.uk.

Do it yourself?

Busy Britons are increasingly relying on hired help. Rather doing simple chores like ironing, cooking and walking the dog, people would rather reach for the phone and ‘get someone in’. Is there nothing we can’t get done for us these

Johnston bid rumours "without substance" says Bowdler

Chief executive denies speculation on Malaysian takeover

"Tizer" celebrates birthday with gala dinner

Berwick title marks bicetenary by honouring local people

New editor for North London weekly

Liverpool fan David steps up from content role.

Burton print jobs set to be axed

Production of evening paper could be outsourced to local rival

New research to boost role of local press

NS-commissioned website will enable advertisers to tailor message to local communities

Journalism training body gives thumbs up to five UK centres

NCTJ panel accredits fast-track and MA courses

'Leading light' of journalists' union dies aged 68

Ron Knowles spent 16 years in regional press and led first unofficial chapel pay strike

Working from home

More companies are said to be waking up to the benefits of letting staff work from home and other remote locations and they rarely need to set foot in the office. Is this good for work-life balance but bad for

Misleading press photo in boozy teens story

Henley Standard apologises over pic, missing girl abduction claim clarified – and more resolved cases from the PCC

Newspaper corrects girlfriend assault sentence mix-up

Male nurse complains over inaccurate court report, Boris Johnson photo apology – and more cases from the PCC

Career choices

TV shows such as Hell’s Kitchen and Spooks can influence what careers young people want. What careers do young people in your area aspire to? What attracts them? Do they follow in their parents’ footsteps or are there other influences?

Kids who learn at home

Every week day by around 9am, most children are sitting at their desks in classrooms ready to start the daily routine of school life. It sounds like many a child’s dream to be allowed to stay home from school every

Pampered pets

Pampered pooches can relax in a heated pool and a therapist is on hand to massage aching bodies at an exclusive poodle parlour in Wales. The main idea behind the hydrotherapy spa is to treat dogs recovering from injuries or

More school trips?

Outdoor learning, including school trips and visits, are taking off as the spring turns into summer. Some 7m pupil visits take place every year which means that thousands of pupils are going on visits every week. From a geography field

Tips on choosing a journalism course

Emma Clark, former marketing and communications manager for the National Council for the Training of Journalists, offers her advice on choosing between journalism courses.
Recently I've attended numerous careers fairs around the country, meeting students of all ages keen to break into journalism - whether that be in newspapers, television, radio or magazines. And of course, all students want to know which journalism course they should go on and whether they need NCTJ qualifications.

A quick look at the trainee job ads on HTFP demonstrates the importance of gaining the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. Many adverts require candidates to have, or be awaiting results for, their NCTJ Diploma.

Trying to break into the industry without it makes a tough task almost impossible. With the rise in tuition fees, choosing the right journalism course is even more important than ever and students need to be sure they are learning the vocational skills required by employers, enabling them to hit the ground running when they enter the newsroom.

Employers know that an NCTJ-trained applicant will be able to find and construct stories, understand media law and ethics and be able to take down an accurate shorthand note when required. And contrary to popular belief it is not just the regional press looking for these skills, but nationals, online and broadcast too. Recent Sky Sports News schemes, for example, have been looking for practical skills including a minimum of 100wpm shorthand.

Student journalists can complete their NCTJ training in a number of ways - FE colleges and independent centres offer the Diploma in Journalism as fast-track and academic year courses, while universities offer it as part of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. All of these journalism courses lead to the same NCTJ qualifications and meet the same standard, allowing students to pick the one that's best for them.

It's no secret that the NCTJ has an exacting standard, and this applies not just to the qualifications but also to the course provider. All NCTJ-accredited courses have to work incredibly hard to meet the requirements in the same way that students have to work incredibly hard to achieve the gold standard. This ensures the NCTJ logo acts as a meaningful kitemark for quality journalism training.