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Every programme we run will be tailored to the needs of the organisations and individuals with whom we are working.  Experience of real work, ideally with a designated industry mentor, is an essential component of the courses we offer.  Trainees will be expected to produce a portfolio of work designed to demonstrate their range of experience and abilities.  Alongside this will be the taught element of the courses.

 

The initial Certificate programme we are offering will be a combination of supported e-learning and activity workshops covering the basic elements of good journalism with a specific emphasis on use of English.  Soft skills such as team working, verbal communication and personal organisation will be developed throughout the course. Additional work on computer skills may also be required. Specific elements may be added depending on local/employer needs.

 

The following units will enable the trainees to be assessed externally for a UK NCTJ award certificate.  One certificate will be awarded for each unit that is completed successfully.  Candidates will have an opportunity to resubmit on payment of the appropriate fee (to be confirmed).

 

On successful completion of this programme, candidates will have a solid appreciation of the disciplines of news gathering and news writing along with developed soft skills that will enable them to fulfill junior roles in a newsroom operation such as Junior Reporter, Junior Researcher, Junior Content Producer.

 

The units to be offered (in conjunction with the NCTJ) are, (nb GLH is Guided Learning Hours):

 

• Gathering information*    20 GLH

• How to tell a news story*  25 GLH

• Recording information*    15 GLH

• Legal and ethical considerations for journalists*                                            25 GLH

• How to use the English Language for journalism (level 2)*                           30 GLH

• Using the English language for maximum effect in journalism (level 2)*   30 GLH

• Writing for digital media* 30 GLH

• Writing for a specific purpose (optional)  30 GLH

• Using audio to tell a story (optional)         30 GLH

• Taking images suitable for publication (optional)                                           30 GLH

• Finding and using data (optional)              30 GLH

• Sports reporting (optional)  30 GLH

• Writing reviews and comment articles (optional)                                            30 GLH

• Feature writing (optional)    30 GLH

• How society works* Local, national and global context (optional)                30 GLH

• Using video to tell a story (optional)          30 GLH

 

Those units marked * are mandatory and account for a minimum of 200 GLH. A further two units (+60 GLH) may be chosen to meet local/employer needs and provide the option to achieve full certification. A minimum of 18 students is required for each optional unit.

 

In addition to the formal units that make up the Certificate, we will provide a 30 GLH Unit on Personal, Professional Presentation. This is designed to develop professionalism in appearance and manner. It will include:

 

• Personal appearance: dressing for success

• Professional speech and language

• Building and maintaining professional relationships

• Professional written communications

• Social media: pitfalls and potential

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Workbook/Portfolio:

In addition to the assessments for the individual units, each trainee will be provided with an online portfolio and a workbook. During the course they will be expected to upload between six and ten pieces of work that demonstrate a range of skills including News in Brief (x3), News Story (250 -300 words), News interview (Quotes-based up to 400 words). These may, or may not, have been published. Those trainees that are taking audio/video options will be expected to complete at least 1 portfolio submission in that medium.

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Work experience: 

A vital element of the programme will be on the job experience with an appointed newsroom mentor. Each candidate will be expected to complete 200 hours of documented work experience in a newsroom. During this time they will have the opportunity to write copy that will contribute to their workbook/portfolio. Attendance and activities will also be logged. The work experience will start off as one day a week whilst the candidates are learning basic skills. It will gradually increase until Week 10 of the course. This will be a full week in the newsroom. The candidate will be visited by the tutor, who will receive feedback on their performance from their mentor and other newsroom staff.

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Delivery:  

The initial programme will be delivered over a 12-week period. The intention is that, in the first three weeks, students will attend class on 5 days (6 hours a day) and spend one day in the newsroom.  In weeks 4 – 6they will attend class on four days and spend two days in the newsroom. Weeks 7 - 9 will be three days in the classroom and three days in the newsroom developing their portfolio. In week 10, they will spend an entire week in the newsroom where they will be visited by their tutor who will also review completed work in this time. In weeks 11 and 12they will be in the classroom for the entire time while they complete assessment work. 1-1 tuition support will be offered as required.   NB This is subject to adaptation depending on local requirements. 
 

Selection of Candidates

 

Candidates will be rigorously assessed for suitability prior to selection. This selection will be by way of an initial attitudes/aptitudes survey followed by a pre-entry test (as used by the NCTJ) to determine standards of English, news sense and general knowledge of world affairs.

 

It is unlikely that we will accept candidates who have not achieved Indian Standard qualification at an English medium school with between 50-65% overall in their standard XII examinations, with 60% in Standard XII English or 70% in Standard X English.

 

Ideally all candidates will also be able to demonstrate a genuine interest in news perhaps through providing links to a blog, examples of written work or video material they have created.

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Do you think you can make your mark in Journalism?

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