What sort of tasks would I be doing?
- Attending press conferences, court sessions, council meetings and other public events
- Interviewing people involved in news stories.
- Following up news releases, calls from the public or tip-offs from personal contacts
- Writing news stories from notes taken
What qualifications would I need?
Doing a diploma in creative and media would be a great way to get some work experience, get a feel for the role and is highly regarded by journalists.
Lots of people study a degree before starting work as a journalist but it isn’t essential. If you do decide to study for a degree, it doesn’t have to be in journalism – all subjects are relevant.
If you decide you do want to go to university it is worth researching courses to find the ones that are accredited and listed by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), the Periodicals Training Council (PTC) and the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC).
If you want to study a journalism course, you may be eligible for a bursary from the Journalism Diversity Fund. Also, the George Viner Memorial Fund Trust gives financial support to British students from black and Asian backgrounds. Also don’t forget to find out about financial support from your local authority.
Although qualifications are important, enthusiasm and work experience count for a great deal with employers.
Show your commitment by looking for a short work placement in a newsroom and compile a portfolio of your work. Many journalists start on local newspapers.
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