A daily paper has teamed up with its local training centre to offer a new year-long Diploma in Journalism.

From September, students at Highbury College in Portsmouth will be based at the paper’s offices at Lakeside, Northarbour, for two days a week to experience working as real journalists in a daily newsroom.

A search has now launched to find aspiring reporters for the limited number of first intake places.

To be in with a shout, applicants will have to write a news story around the theme of ‘up my street’ and compose a Tweet about themselves, and submit them to the college.

Editor of The News, Mark Waldron, who himself trained at Highbury, said: “I am so excited by the launch of this new venture and the opportunity it will provide for the journalists of tomorrow.

“Growing up as a ‘wannabe’ reporter near Portsmouth, I was lucky enough to carry out work experience at The News and then be trained at Highbury. So combining the best of both worlds – quality training and real, work-based learning within our newsroom – is a fantastic prospect.”

Chief executive and principal of the college, Stella Mbubaegbu, said they would be seeking to get the new course accredited with the NCTJ.

She added: “The experience, contacts and qualifications these students acquire will be invaluable as they progress with their careers.”

Editor of The News Mark Waldron and Highbury College principal Stella Mbubaegbu