London foundation course to launch
The Press Association is to launch a new multimedia foundation course in
The new course will be based at the Press Association’s headquarters in
Tony Johnston, head of Press Association Training, said: “Our
“We are now launching an almost identical programme in
The course will be 17-weeks long, the same as the
Paul Jones, Press Association’s head of foundation training, who is leading the course, said: “The
“With the Press Association news operation just one floor above our training centre, we can recreate this culture at our
Delegates will study shorthand to 100 words per minute and complete the NCTJ Portfolio, News Writing, Public Affairs and Law exams as part of the course.
The course will start on August 31, 2010.
There will be two courses each year starting in February and August.
For more details about the course, see www.becomeareporter.co.uk
Press Association Training is launching a series of one-day workshops for journalists affected by the newsroom restructuring.
The tooled up courses will give journalists a hands-on introduction to the skills required in the modern newsroom or in different sectors of the media jobs.
They include podcasting, blogging, shooting and editing video and PR as well as traditional skills such as subbing, layout, design and photography.
The discounted courses are being held at PA's
Head of Press Association Training, Tony Johnston, says: "Many journalists have found themselves having to adapt to a different newsroom role and have suddenly realised they are not fully equipped with the skills they need.
"The modern publishing business demands more from its journalists than the ability to turn in decent copy or write a pithy headline."
"We were recently approached by a freelance writer who had lost out on a contract with a magazine because he could not supply his own pictures. Whereas we will not teach you to be an award winning photographer in a day, we can show you how to handle a camera and take and transmit publishable pictures."
"It is clear that journalists need to add more and more skills to their portfolio."
The workshops will introduce the journalist to the basic techniques and an understanding of the technology. "These are not theoretical courses," says
Delegates will be given packs with 'how to" guidelines and "next step" information.
Those who attend the workshops and want to pursue a particular skill in more depth will be offered discounted places on PA Training's longer courses.
A number of one-day courses have been scheduled and others are in the pipeline. "We will run the workshops on demand," says
Swine flu scoop
A TRAINEE checking his emails between exams ended up landing a Swine Flu splash.
Ben Kenyon, 23, a delegate on Press Association Training’s Multi-Media Foundation Course in Newcastle, had just finished the first of two law exams when he picked up the story.
A contact had emailed to tip him off about the case of Swine Flu – the first confirmed in the North East.
Ben said: "My contact mentioned an email sent out by Newcastle University that said someone who shared a house with two students had been confirmed as having Swine Flu.
"I knew I had to get that email, but I only had about 45 minutes before the next law exam started."
So, instead of last-minute revision on defamation and contempt, Ben hit the phones and with only minutes to spare, the all-important email landed in his basket, standing up the story.
He said: "I had told the newsdesk upstairs and I sent them the email and the story I had so far, and went back into the exam room."
While Ben, who comes from Blackburn, was sweating it out with the NCTJ exam, the Newcastle Evening Chronicle was changing the splash.
By the time he emerged two hours later, Ben’s name was on the front page and the Chronicle desk was delighted.
Paul Jones, head of Press Association Foundation Course Training, said: "Ben did a great job. How easy would it have been for him to hand the story over because of the exams?
"Not a bit of it. He was determined to nail it himself and he did."
And as the rest of trainees headed to the pub for a well earned drink after the exams, Ben went back to ringing his contacts to try for the follow-up for the Newcastle morning title, The Journal.
The Newcastle University graduate, who is soon to finish the 17-week course, is still looking for a job.
He said: "I’ve really loved being involved with the papers here in Newcastle, but I’m desperate to start doing this for real."
Mr Jones said: "Times are tough, but even so, I’ve every confidence in Ben getting his break. That’s if he’s passed his law exams, of course."
Newcastle course is top of the league
The Press Association foundation course in Newcastle is officially the best in the country according to new league tables published by the NCTJ.
Our course was the best performing commercial fast track course in the tables published by the industry awarding body.
It is the first time that the NCTJ has officially published rankings of the 70 courses it accredits based on exam results.
The National Council for the Training of Journalists said the course was the best-performing last year, with 56 per cent of students gaining at least a C-grade in the preliminary certificate, which is widely seen as the industry standard for new entrants.
The winners in the league tables were revealed last night at a dinner for journalism trainers in Salford, Greater Manchester, ahead of the NCTJ's journalism skills conference.
Tony Johnston, Head of Press Association Training, said: “We have always thought that our course was the best fast-track course in the country and now it has been recognised officially.
“It is testimony to the dedication of all the trainers and staff at the centre who work so hard to make sure our trainees succeed in their chosen profession.”
Highbury College in Portsmouth was named the best fast-track course run by a college or university, with 30 per cent of students meeting the industry standard.
The preliminary certificate includes modules covering news writing, media law, public affairs and shorthand.
The course is embedded in the offices of NCJ Media in Newcastle, publishers of the Newcastle Chronicle, Journal and associated websites.
It celebrates its 40th anniversary next year and has been the starting point for the careers of many of the UK’s leading journalists, including Andrew Marr from the BBC.
For more information, please contact the press office on +44 (0)20 7963 7528 or send us an email via the contact form.
Diploma launch in Malta
A new diploma training programme for the Times of Malta has been launched by Press Association Training.
The diploma is a practical qualification that is recognised by the global newspaper industry. It is based on the Press
Association’s award-winning diploma scheme which is now used by Northcliffe
newspapers, Thomas Crosbie Holdings, Trinity Mirror, The Times, The Daily Telegraph and many others.
Peter Sands, consultant editor for Press Association Training, who is leading the Diploma, said: "We are delighted to be working with the newspapers in Malta at this exciting time in their development.
"Our diploma training programmes have been used by a wide variety of clients with great success and Iam sure this will be the same with Allied Newspapers."
College media project launch
Press Association Training has teamed up with Newham College in East London to launch a new project to help young women understand more about how the media works.
The project has been developed in partnership with mWorld, a youth lifestyle education organisation.
The students will be able to gain units towards their National Open College Network (NOCN) qualifications.
The 18 students will be working in the Press Association training centre on the 6th floor in Vauxhall Bridge Road for three consecutive Thursdays in March and April.
The remaining nine weeks of the project, called Girls Using Media, are being taught in the college by Press Association trainers.
All the students taking part are enrolled on Newham College’s Get on Track programmes, Young Parents and Making Choices in the Entertainment Industry.
These re-engagement programmes inform and provide young people with an access route back into education, training or employment.
Tony Johnston, head of Press Association Training, said: “The course began last week with a visit to PA in London and a tour of the newsroom and weather department.
“The young women were fascinated by what they saw and have already begun determining what content will be in their magazine and what it will look like.
“For them to have a chance to work in a real news and media environment is a unique opportunity and they are already buzzing as they get to work on the magazine.”
Ti Majek, mWorld Media Trainer who is heading the course, said: “This visit has stimulated student interests further and provided them with the essential building blocks to begin the project”
“The students really enjoyed their visit and are looking forward to returning in March to really get stuck in to the production of the magazine.”
The pilot programme is already attracting interest from other London colleges.
Lead story success for trainee
A TRAINEE on the Press Association Foundation Course in Newcastle has landed a scoop that has sparked reaction from Whitehall to Scotland Yard.
Times trainee Alexi Mostrous delivered an exclusive splash for his paper about the financial details of thousands of Britons being sold on the Internet.
The story was all the more remarkable for having been found, researched and written by Alexi while he was still completing his studies on the 16-week training course.
Alexi is nearing the end of his stint and like the rest of the course has his hands full with learning shorthand, public administration and law – though this last subject should not prove too testing for him as he is a former barrister.
He said: "After the loss of the HMRC child database, I wanted to see exactly how criminals bought and sold confidential information on the web.
"I discovered there were hundreds of Internet sites where fraudsters could advertise stolen credit card or pin numbers.
"A bit more research brought up actual bank details on more than 30 people around the UK. They were offered as free 'samples' to encourage criminals to place big orders.
"I downloaded the information, contacted the people concerned, passed everything on to the Metropolitan Police and the Information Commissioner, and wrote up the story."
Course leader, Paul Jones, said: "This was a tremendous achievement for Alexi and it was all his own work.
"He found the site selling the details and had been monitoring it for some time. It was a great scoop and the excitement on the course about it was electric.
"We have had a great run of page leads in the Newcastle papers this course including three splashes in the morning paper but to get a national front page lead is rather special."
As Alexi was in Newcastle on the day his story was used, he only found out that it was the splash when he heard John Humphrys reading it out on the Today Programme.
"There was a certain amount of jumping about the room at that point I can tell you," he said.