Newsquest trainee journalists achieved a 73 per cent pass rate – plus no fewer than four individual awards – from the recent National Certificate Examination.

The group had 44 trainees sitting the autumn exam with 32 passing. More than half succeeded at their first attempt.

In addition, Newsquest trainees picked up four individual awards – the Society of Editors’ Award; Esso Award; Ted Bottomley Award and Pamela Meyrick Memorial Award.

The results were significantly ahead of the NCE’s national pass rate where 102 out of 232 candidates – passed the exam (a 44 per cent pass rate).

Newsquest is fast gaining a reputation for training journalists, taking on an average of 40 ‘raw’ trainees every year.

Three years ago the group worked with Darlington College School of Journalism to design a 20-week course for its newly recruited trainees.

The syllabus based on the NCTJ prelims and the NCE also includes add-ons such as basic sub-editing, photography, digital media and numeracy.

All Newsquest trainees sitting the NCE attend a three-day refresher course at Darlington in the weeks before sitting the exam.

Group editorial manager Margaret Strayton (left) said: “We are proud of our training record and are fast gaining a reputation as the place to get the best journalistic training.

“Our newly-recruited trainees are guaranteed a place at Darlington College within six months of joining the company.

“While at Darlington College their tuition fees are paid for by the company as is their accommodation and travel costs and they also receive their full salary.

“Good training, a partnership between the company, the trainee and the training college is essential.

“These days the modern newspaper industry requires a good deal more from its journalists. By the same token it has to get serious about training and development.

“At Newsquest this is the reality and the results speak for themselves.”

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