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September 2008 News

Training council unveils journalism awards shortlist

Judges note “good use” of Freedom of Information Act

Lifeline for Scottish journalists under threat

Union says feature writers who faced redundancy could be kept on

Strike action suspended at Midlands newspapers

Birmingham union members agree to wait with more decisions due today

MP wins £10,000 damages over expenses story

Western Morning News admits giving “false impression”

Editors urged to take part in training survey

Results will shape future of journalism training

Press watchdog calls 'fowl' on poultry mag

Complaints commission rap for niche magazine

York journalism students fare well in awards shortlist

University well-represented again in search for stars of tomorrow

Kent weekly is latest convert to dual model

150-year-old title to go part-paid-for, part-free

German trip yields world exclusive for Post

Nottingham daily stays ahead of nationals on murder story

Journalism students taught to write press releases

Portsmouth college breaks down traditional barriers

New website for Evening Standard

News-based web portal to compliment thisislondon

Birmingham publisher rebrands for multi-media age

Post and Mail owner to be known as Bpm Media

Government seeks industry input on disaster planning

Newspaper Society to contribute to Cabinet Office review

Fresh battle over paper's right to name soldiers

Editor says principle of open justice must be defended

Online news service poaches MEN business editor

Chris Barry to join TheBusinessDesk.com

More than 50 print jobs under threat

Consultation begins over future of Grimsby plant

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.