The UK’s leading journalism training body is to carry out a major survey on the current state of the industry – with the help of HoldtheFrontPage readers.

The National Council for the Training of Journalists wants to find out what journalists think of current working conditions, training and recruitment.

It wants to update a report carried out a decade ago by the Journalism Training Forum and explore how the workplace has changed in that time.

And HTFP readers are now being urged to assist the research by filling in an online survey which can be viewed here.

Among the issues raised in the 15-minute questionnnaire are:

• How have the changes in the industry over the last 10 years affected your job?
• Would you advise any young person to go into journalism today?
• Does your manager think it is important that you have a good work-life balance?
• How confident are you about the future of journalism as a profession?

Other questions include asking respondents how many stories they write each day, whether having a degree is important for entering the profession, and whether the industry’s “existing regulatory procedures” are adequate.

The results of the survey are due to released at the Journalism Skills Conference in Nottingham on 28 and 29 November.

The NCTJ said:  “Ten years ago the research project, Journalists at Work, published its findings. The results allowed the NCTJ to better design the courses that prepare students for entry into journalism.

“But much has changed in the last ten years and this research now needs updating. The NCTJ has decided to fund an update of this important research.”

The NCTJ survey is the second major industry survey to be carried out this year.

The Society of Editors recently carried out its research into the state of journalism training in a bid to ensure it is fit for the digital age.  The results are due to be published at the SoE annual conference to be held on 11-13 November in Belfast.