Looking to break into the media industry?

Our sister paper The News, Portsmouth, and Highbury College are now accepting applications for the 2016 One Year Diploma in Journalism course, which starts in September, and is based at the paper's '˜classroom in the newsroom'.
Highbury College students at The News offices: (back l-r) Lola Mayor, Peter Marcus, Imogen Marshall,  and Sasha Barker  with (front l-r) Oli Price, Ermis Madikopoulos, Shannon Johnson and Daniel Chalkley. 

Picture: Sarah Standing (151844-454) PPP-151011-133915001Highbury College students at The News offices: (back l-r) Lola Mayor, Peter Marcus, Imogen Marshall,  and Sasha Barker  with (front l-r) Oli Price, Ermis Madikopoulos, Shannon Johnson and Daniel Chalkley. 

Picture: Sarah Standing (151844-454) PPP-151011-133915001
Highbury College students at The News offices: (back l-r) Lola Mayor, Peter Marcus, Imogen Marshall, and Sasha Barker with (front l-r) Oli Price, Ermis Madikopoulos, Shannon Johnson and Daniel Chalkley. Picture: Sarah Standing (151844-454) PPP-151011-133915001

Are you a great story-teller? Then sign up for our classroom in the newsroom.

Do you or someone you know want the chance to break into the media industry?

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If so, The News, Portsmouth and Highbury College are now accepting applications for the 2016 One Year Diploma in Journalism course based at the paper’s ‘classroom in the newsroom’.

Starting this September, it provides students with everything they need to make it as a journalist on a newspaper, website, TV or radio station. Achieving the diploma can also pave the way for a job in PR, social media, publishing and communications – all without having to pay thousands of pounds in university fees.

The pioneering course – the only one of its kind in the country – mixes high-quality training alongside extensive work experience at the south’s biggest-selling daily newspaper, The News and its website, www.portsmouth.co.uk.

This will be the fourth year running the course, which is fully accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and is a proven way of getting ahead.

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Many of those who have passed through the Highbury College classroom at The News have gone on to great things in all walks of media. Among the success stories includes:

Laura Thomson – a motoring writer with Blackball Media based in Gosport travelling the world attending the latest car launches.

James Oxenham – a reporter for the West Sussex County Times.

Tim Birkbeck – a trainee reporter on the Basingstoke Gazette.

Will Rimell – trainee reporter at the Southern Daily Echo.

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Lewis Mason – a sports reporter for the Worthing Herald, Shoreham Herald and Littlehampton Gazette.

Editor of The News, Mark Waldron, said: ‘Having studied at the college after leaving school, Highbury provided me with the best possible start to my career in journalism.

‘I’m excited that The News is fully involved in continuing this fine training tradition as we prepare today’s students for the exciting multi-media world we operate in.

‘By having the classroom in the newsroom, we also provide an amazing opportunity of real-life, hands-on training for all students.’

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The diploma covers the essentials of journalism and includes reporting, public affairs, media law, court reporting, video broadcasting, and shorthand.

While the qualification is a sure-fire way of getting into journalism, it can also lead to other careers in the media or communications industry.

Paul Foster, programme leader in journalism at Highbury College, said: ‘It’s been great to see so many students gain the experience at The News and then go on to get jobs in the industry. There’s no doubt that employers see the course as a fantastic grounding in the art of writing, publishing and broadcasting.

‘Our success in running the one year course with The News is partly down to our experience with our award-winning 20-week fast-track NCTJ Diploma, which is the best-performing FE fast-track course in the UK.’

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If you would like to apply (see panel), call (023) 9238 3131, e-mail [email protected] to arrange an interview or log on to highbury.ac.uk/journalism

Alternatively, attend our open day at The News, 1000 Lakeside, North Harbour, Western Road, PO6 3EN, on Saturday, May 7 from 10am to 3pm or the Highbury College Open Day on Wednesday, May 11 from 4.30pm to 7pm. For more information, search for the Highbury College Journalism Training page on Facebook.

What is required to join the course?

You will need at least 5 A-C grades at GCSE including English and, ideally, you should have also achieved either two A Levels or an equivalent Level 3 qualification such as a BTEC Diploma.