A benchmark for training journalists in Scotland could be established as a result of work by a new industry forum.

People leaving colleges are coming to local newspapers as talented trainees but without the sound backing of a solid journalism course behind them.

An NCTJ-organised seminar at Cardonald College, Glasgow, has set the foundations for a Scottish journalism training forum to identify and meet training needs.

Representatives from the Scottish newspaper industry and colleges agreed to set up a steering committee to report back to a wider audience of interested parties in September.

Fife Free Press editor Colin Hume said: “For quite a few years there has been a lack of properly qualified people coming into the profession.

“There are only a couple of colleges that offer recognised NCTJ courses here.

“People are leaving college, coming to newspapers as trainees and the papers are having to send them on training courses.

“Some papers are sending people on block release to Darlington, for instance, to get them on a course with recognised NCTJ qualifications.”

There is only one college in the area already offering a course with NCTJ exams. There was another which lost accreditation.

Colin said a lot of journalists come through thinking that doing a course – whether vocational or not – was enough but didn’t realise the value of those extra exams.

The representatives on the forum were from four colleges and a host of newspapers in the central Scotland area. The aim is to increase NCTJ-backed training provision locally.

The next full meeting is on Friday September 14 at Glasgow Caledonian Jordanhill Campus, Glasgow. An interim steering group will meet early in September.

People interested in joining the forum or offering input should contact Colin Hume at the Fife Free Press on 01592 261451.

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