Moves to produce a definitive journalism training manual for schools in Scotland have taken a fresh step forward.

The Scottish Journalism Training Forum is about to fill the knowledge gap about careers and training.

It will publish the guide in time for the start of the new school year in September – and back it up with a dedicated website to keep abreast of developments.

Members of the forum, who are all involved with newspapers or colleges, found that careers and course information in schools was either out of date or incorrect.

That meant people were leaving college to start their careers on local papers with their talent – but without the solid background of a journalism course.

Forum member Colin Hume, editor of the Fife Free Press, said: “It will be aimed at Scottish children who will be choosing their courses for exam-level and will help them make the right choices.

“One of our objectives is to forge strong links with the schools and careers officers.

“We are also hoping to get a website running to keep things up to date. The booklet will have a life of around four years but things will undoubtedly change during that time.”

The forum’s next meeting is on March 15, where representatives – from four colleges and newspapers all over the central Scotland areas – will take their projects further.

Colin said: “We’re very much moving forward with our aims.

“We did not want to be just a talking shop and we’re certainly much more than that.”

Anyone interested in joining the forum or offering input can contact Colin at the Fife Free Press on 01592 261451.

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