Aspiring young journalists in Northern Ireland are being urged to sign up for GCSE and A-level courses in journalism, taught by a famous face from the Irish regional press.

The Verbal Arts Centre’s School of Journalism is recruiting for its GCSE and A-Level Journalism courses, taught throughout all the schools in the northwest of Ireland.

In conjunction with the Foyle Learning Community, the centre is offering CCEA accredited GCSE and A-Level courses in journalism, delivered by one of the North West’s best known journalists Leona O’Neill of the Irish News (pictured).

Youngsters are taught all the essential skills from the industry that they will need in order to become journalists, and experts such as Leona are brought in from all over the UK and Ireland to offer them first hand advice.

Students are also given the opportunity to learn and develop interview and writing skills, how to design magazines, delve into the world of photography, and learn radio and video editing skills at the at the centre’s state-of-of-the-art recording studios.

Said Leona: “The current A-Level students have had an amazing year so far.

“They have interviewed everyone from pop stars to politicians, world renowned authors, directors and musicians, and have had their work published in the local media.