ITV newsreader Mark Austin has offered his advice to students of the college where he began his journalism career more than three decades ago.

Mark spoke to students at Highbury College, Portsmouth, when they toured the ITV newsroom and studio, where they also met the channel’s news correspondent Emma Murphy.

Mark, who joined the Bournemouth Echo as a reporter after completing Highbury’s NCTJ course, told the students they were venturing into an exciting multimedia world, far different from his early days as a reporter with social media a fantastic way of finding and developing stories.

He added his NCTJ training was still relevant today, citing knowledge of media law as of particular importance for any journalist looking to make it in the industry.

Mark, centre in the white shirt, with Highbury College students

Paul Foster, programme leader of the NCTJ courses at Highbury, said: “Mark generously gave up his time to speak to the students who loved hearing about his wonderful career and witnessing the hustle and bustle of a national TV newsroom.

“Mark spoke fondly of his time at Highbury and how the NCTJ training was so important in developing his career.”

After leaving the Echo, Mark worked as both a news and sports reporter for the BBC, before being offered a position as sports correspondent for ITN.

HE then worked as Asia correspondent in Hong Kong and African correspondent in Johannesburg, where he reported on the transition from apartheid to democracy, Nelson Mandela’s 1994 election victory and the genocide in Rwanda.