Newspaper journalists investigate and write up stories for local, regional and national newspapers.
£15,000 Starter
to£50,000 Experienced
37 to 39 variable
evenings / weekends / bank holidays flexibly
You can get into this job through:
You may find it useful to have a degree in a subject like journalism or English. This will help you develop the skills you'll need as a journalist.
You could also do a postgraduate course in journalism. Some of these are accredited by the Professional Publishers Association.
You'll usually need:
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant qualifications include Level 3 Diploma in Journalism or Level 3 Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.
Some colleges offer the Level 3 Certificate in Foundation Journalism and courses in Shorthand, accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).
You'll usually need:
You can work towards this role by starting with an advanced apprenticeship as a junior journalist.
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
You could start as an office assistant or trainee reporter on a local or regional newspaper.
You'll need a minimum of five GCSE grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English, or equivalent qualifications. Many recruits have A levels or degree level qualifications.
Competition for jobs is strong, and you'll need to show you've got writing experience. You'll find it useful to have examples of your published work in a portfolio, especially if these include your name.
To build up your experience you can:
You can study a range of professional qualifications in journalism, accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). These are available either online or part time at a training centre.
If you have a degree, you may be able to do a Fast Track NCTJ Diploma in Journalism course offered by National Council for the Training of Journalists.
There are a number of bursaries available to eligible journalism students.
As a journalism student you can apply for student membership of the National Union of Journalists.
You can find out more about working in journalism from the National Union of Journalists.
You'll need:
Your day-to-day tasks may include:
You could work in an office.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding and you'll travel often.
With experience, you could become a chief reporter or a specialist writer, covering areas like politics, business or particular regions of the country. You could move to a national newspaper or work as a critic.
You could move into other areas such as magazine, broadcast or online journalism. Or you could work in a press office or public relations.
We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a newspaper journalist right now.
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