A series of initiatives is being put together to strengthen the position of the well-established National Council for the Training of Journalists.

The changes are being made as regular customers of the popular journalism training organisation begin to question its accessibility and responsiveness as the industry moves forward.

And in addition to basic training, culminating in the industry standard National Certificate Examination, the NCTJ wants to provide more opportunities for ongoing training and development for qualified journalists.

Chief executive Joanne Butcher said: “It is crucial that we listen to our customers and strengthen our position in every aspect of our business.

“We have a major role to play in enhancing the success of journalists. It is us who see, at first hand, how tomorrow’s journalists are learning and performing.

“We have a responsibility to work with editors to assist them in getting the best possible results from their editorial teams.”

A major strategic review has taken place during the past six months to shape the business to reflect changes to the journalism industry.

Joanne said the NTCJ was a strong and robust organisation with a powerful brand and strong financial base. Some 578 journalists sat their NCE last year with 33 accredited centres offering learning opportuinities.

Inviting feedback on the way forward for the NCTJ she said: “We must grasp our role as a leader and influencer and use the great resources of industry experts, journalists and our customers to ensure that we provide the very best training and qualifications for the growing number of people who are entering newspapers, magazines and the wider media industry. “

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