Step forward, journalists ofthe future...

The Herald & Gazette series, together with Etc magazine, has teamed up with City College Brighton and Hove to offer a trio of young people the chance to train to become fully qualified journalists.

Three internships are on offer – one in the busy Herald newsroom, one on the sports desk and one on our popular, glossy magazine, Etc – from September, 2012, to June, 2013.

Two days a week will be spent at work in the Herald and Etc newsroom, while the other three will be spent studying for the National Council for the Training of Journalists Multimedia Diploma at City College’s central Brighton office, two minutes’ walk from the railway station.

Herald & Gazette editor-in-chief Colin Channon said: “We’re looking for someone who has always wanted to become a journalist, and we want to help them realise that dream.

“This is an amazing opportunity – three people will get the chance to work in our busy offices while studying for a set of qualifications which are considered a ‘must’ in the industry.”

The City College course will cover shorthand, news reporting, features, law, public affairs, and options ranging from sport to production.

And after studying for three days a week, the successful applicants will get the chance to put their newly learned skills into practice for the other two, gaining more valuable skills.

Herald & Gazette reporter Alex Therrien completed his preliminary journalism training at City College Brighton and Hove. He said: “The course really stood me in good stead for a career in journalism, giving me a solid grounding in writing, which is what I always wanted to do, as well as teaching me about the law, which is so important to journalists.

“Shorthand takes a while to get your head around, but it really is an invaluable skill. If I hadn’t done the course, I wouldn’t be working at the paper now.”

And Alex said that while it wasn’t always easy, the old cliché, that every day in journalism was different, was true.

“One day you might be covering a court case in the morning, then a 100th birthday and some school events in the afternoon, then a council meeting in the evening,” he added.

“Once, I even got to take a car out with a driving instructor, to find out how to drive more economically and save on petrol.

“It was an interesting feature to write, and I’m even benefiting from what I learned when driving my own car.

“It is a cliché, but in this job, it’s true – you never know what each day is going to bring.”

The deadline for applications is Saturday, June 30, and interviews will take place during the week commencing Monday, July 16. Please note, there is no guarantee of a job at the end of the placement, and to qualify, applicants must be aged under 19 on August 31, 2012.

Colin said: “We are delighted to offer this wonderful opportunity for teenagers wanting to enter the world of journalism. But there will be a rigorous interview process.

“This will allow them to train while gaining real-life, on-the-job experience in a busy media workplace.

“And, at the end of their course, the students should be in a perfect position to gain full-time employment in journalism.”

To apply, email your CV and covering letter to City College course leader Peter Lindsey, at [email protected], or call him, on 01273 667788 ext 431.