Graduate Careers in Journalism

A graduate career in journalism can incorporate your biggest passion in life, whatever it may be. Have a think about all of the different magazines, newspapers, TV and radio shows that you have access to every day – there’s something for everyone. From sport, news and politics through to food, travel and DIY, if you have always had a passion for the media and its role in society then a graduate career in journalism could be for you.

Being a journalist can be a tremendously rewarding job but you have to work hard to reap the benefits. Having a degree in itself is not enough to secure you a graduate career in journalism although it is a good start. In addition to your degree it is recommended that you do some work experience as this is a great way of finding out exactly which area of journalism you want to focus on – newspaper, magazine, on-line, TV or radio.

Once you know that journalism is the career for you, you then need to study for your qualifications. This can be done through the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). The NCTJ views journalism as a profession that you need to be qualified to enter. You would not get a job as a lawyer/doctor/accountant without the proper qualifications and journalism is no different.

The NCTJ is dedicated to providing a world-class education and training system that develops current and future journalists to suit the demands of today’s media. The NCTJ’s courses equip you with the qualifications editors look for.

Some of the most common enquiries received at the NCTJare from graduates who have gained degrees in subjects not directly related to journalism, but who want to move into the industry.

Journalism appeals to such a wide audience and with publications available for every industry and topic you can think of, you would be forgiven for thinking it was an easy industry to get into. This isn’t the case!

You can’t just get a job as a journalist – there’s too much competition! In order to work as a journalist on a local or regional paper, you will need your NCTJ preliminary Certificates in Journalism examinations. These exams are the foundation qualifications most newspapers look for and with an NCTJ qualification on your CV, a prospective employer knows you have grasped the fundamentals of journalism: news reporting and writing, media law, government and shorthand. Once you have your prelims and have a position as a trainee reporter, you can then go on to take the final professional examination, the National Certificate Examination (NCE).

There are 38 universities, further education and commercial providers which offer NCTJ accredited courses throughout the UK and there are a variety of methods of study available – pre-entry, full-time, part-time, block release and fast track just to name a few.

In most cases the preliminary Certificates in Journalism examinations will be sat whilst on a course at college/university or during an in-company training course. They are also available on national exam days held twice-yearly in May and November, which are also open to those who study the Foundation Course in Newspaper Journalism by distance learning.

The seven preliminary exams cover Public Affairs parts 1 & 2 (local and central government); Media Law parts 1 & 2 (court reporting, defamation and contempt, copyright, confidentiality and other parts of the PCC code); News Writing and Shorthand. The industry standard is 100wpm, which is also the speed required for entry to the NCE. Students must also complete a Portfolio of cuttings for assessment.

Your ultimate aim is the NCE, the qualification most editors in Britain agree is the best proof a journalist has been properly trained.

The NCE is designed to examine all-round competence in a range of fundamental skills at a level appropriate to a newspaper journalist who has completed the basic training programme, including a properly supervised period of practical training.

To study for your NCE, you have to:

Have the minimum academic qualifications – five GCSEs (including English) and two A Levels.
Pass the NCTJ preliminary Certificates in Journalism examinations in Journalism, Media Law and Public Affairs and completed a Portfolio.
Pass an NCTJ shorthand examination at a speed of at least 100 words per minute.
Do at least 18 months’ paid work as a trainee journalist on a newspaper.
Compile a Logbook of story cuttings during your training on a newspaper.

To convince an editor you are worth appointing you will need to be able to demonstrate the following:

An interest in current affairs at all levels.
A lively interest in people, places and events.
An ability to write in a style which is easy to understand.
Good spelling, grammar and punctuation.
An appreciation of the part a local newspaper plays in the community.
A willingness to accept irregular hours.
An ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
Determination and persistence.

If you are interested in a graduate career in journalism, then further information can be found by visiting www.nctj.com or emailing info@nctj.com. Alternatively please contact NCTJ Training Ltd on 01799 544014, or at NCTJ Training Ltd, The New Granary, Station Road, Newport, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3PL. Start the ball rolling with your graduate career in journalism by applying for work experience, writing your own articles and applying for an NCTJ accredited course.