I am due to sit my PA exams in May. I am currently studying law (defamation is a nightmare) but I am getting there with support from my lecturer and it is sinking in.

I wanted to go into journalism straight after uni but with student loans and a mortgage to pay for, I didn’t have the option of doing a one year course. Instead, I attended a fast track course but it wasn’t for me, I wish I had known about distance learning years ago.

I sometimes worry that I am too old but when I qualify I will be 32, so hopefully my life skills and experience of working in different areas will be beneficial.

Krupa- I am so interested to hear what you think the best route may be into International Development journalism?! Apart from one competition in The Guardian, i have seen nothing so i presume the only route is to go into EITHER International developmanet OR Journalism and try and infiltrate the other in later? Would you say it is better to go into the international development side of things first?

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!!

Alex

Thought I’d post back on here, as this is still my favourite part of your blog thus far! Tis the entry that inspired me as many of your doubts here echo mine. And btw, the “Nat” above is not my alter-ego, although we do have similar stories.

I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time out of your busy (short hand dominated) schedule to pacify my dramatic quandaries – and you’ve really spurred me on! I promise I’ll stop gushing-with-intent now…

Nope, I don’t have a mountain of student debt… well, not much, anyway. I started at Uni but had to leave (and before the chorus of “drop-out!” commences, it was cos I had to have major surgery. So there!). I still managed to cash half my student loan and had a bit of a spend to cheer me up whilst I was recovering. Oops.

Ideally, I’d l-o-v-e to specialise in fashion writing – but like my previous career, have picked possibly the most competitive area! You’re right, I have still got a reasonable black book with a few contacts worth, well, contacting – once I bag the NCTJ that is…

I’ve moved the local paper work experience to the New Year to tie-up my copy writing commitments nicely, and have applied to do the NCTJ at (don’t hate me; but a degree isn’t a prerequisite there) leafy noSWeat in suburbia heights, ha ha. I’m also going to try and get further unpaid work experience under my waist-cinching belt (for as long as Him Indoors is willing to sub my rent…) and continue the copy writing part time.

The short hand (and work experience woes) sound absolutely gruesome but well worth it in the long term. Right? I was a-wonderin’ is there any way I can email you directly? Do let me know, as I’m thinking there may be ways we could work together……

Let me know what you recks

Natalie xx

I think I have decided to do a BA in journalism on a NCTJ accredited course so that I can have both a degree and the NCTJ qualification. It will be about a year shorter if I done them both together.

Can anyone suggest the best universities to get a BA in journalism which is NCTJ accredited? I really need some help. There are so many to choose from on the NCTJ site.

On the other hand i am also thinking of doing a foundation degree closer to home at lambeth college in london. I can sit my NCTJ exams there and then after my course I have the chance to study for a extra year at the metropolitan university to get my BA.
hmm im nt sure…
Is both a degree and the NCTJ qualification needed to gain entry into the industry or should i just do the NCTJ?!

Natalie xxxx

First of all, congratulations – you have no student debt! I however have a degree, an overdraft and a student loan that Mr Brown continues to add interest too.

The degree is in creative advertising on the copywriting side.

You don’t say what kind of journalism you hope to specialise in if at all – is it fashion related or are you interested in news?

What were you doing in fashion before? Could you use it to muscle in somewhere i.e. a fashion mag?

I hear you about the degree but I don’t see why it should stop you in your tracks. The course I’m on at Lambeth specifies that you must have a degree to get on it. They do run a foundation degree which I believe is two years.

Have you looked on the NCTJ website? They have all the courses listed – I think I read that Darlington took people without degrees. Darlington has an amazing reputation as well. Why not give the NCTJ a call and ask for advice.

Great on the work experience for the local publication and also the writing for online magazines. One of my posts on this blog details how I started freelancing from scratch so check it out if you like.

I think the key is to believe that you can do anything you want at this stage. If you have a story, pitch the idea to a national – what have you got to loose? Phone up / email all the publications you are interested in and ask them about work experience.

The trouble with being our age and getting work experience is that old chestnut – the rent. I don’t know what your situation is but if you can comfortably work for free for a bit then my advice is to get as much as you can.

Hope that is helpful. I’m off to do my shorthand. Sigh.

Amy

Loving your blog and have found it very inspiring as I am also 28 and (cue X-Factor style Westlife key-change music) attempting to avoid a lifetime of meaningless drudgery and follow my dream of becoming a writer. Unfortunately, my tale is more woeful than most: I haven’t got a degree (through choice, might I add – I was all set to study English Lit at Liverpool Uni but decided not to take up my place there, then ended up building a career as a fashion buyer, but it wasn’t really flicking my switch…). I’m finding this lack of a higher qualification really frustrating as I’m not having much joy in getting onto an NCTJ course without one. Tis a shame, as I left the world of fashion at the start of the year to work as a copywriter; have submitted pieces to online magazines and have got a 2-week work experience placement at a local rag next month. But I really know I need to get the skills that the NCTJ course provides under my belt in order to be taken seriously as a writer. So Amy, I just wanted to know if you have a degree and if anyone else has had simlar experiences? I strongly feel that ability and passion, coupled with important “life-skills” gained through not going to university should be equally as attractive when applying for NCTJ courses – any thoughts anyone?!

All the best,
Natalie

As one poster said: “Life is tough at any age.” This is so true. I know because I’ve been there.

I’m about half way through NCTJ Fast Track Magazines course at Harlow School of Journalism and from what I’ve seen ability, confidence, and commitment are the keys to success. Age doesn’t really come into it a great deal. (OK I concede maybe it does when it comes to shorthand as the speed of mental processing declines with age.)

To my joy my job ‘disappeared’ last year and the severance pay has allowed me to strike-out to pastures new. I’ve been freelancing since then doing copy editing, newsletter articles, and graphics. All modest stuff, all paid, all published.

I wanted to improve my writing skills and knowledge of the magazine industry. I passed the NCTJ test and signed-up for the September fast track programme and have never regretted a day since.

Best wishes

Bob

PS I’m 58—do I win a prize?

I’m 42 years-old and in year two of my BA Hons in Journalism at UCLan, Preston.

After a morning’s infusion of ginseng, donning my support pants and affixing my dentures to my rapidly shrinking palate, I consider myself eminently qualified to comment, report and enthuse on the world at large.

I’ve got a little bit of local newspaper experience and a shedload of life experience and salute anyone who changes path and has a go at their dream.

So far my young and fragrant colleagues are keeping up with me reasonably well, which is possibly due to me being reluctant to drink myself into unconsciousness most weeknights.

Good luck to you and I’m bookmarking your blog to see how you get on.

All the best

Jez.

I think it’s really admirable that you are doing your NCTJ as a distance course and while working! Keep us posted on how you’re getting on especially with shorthand.

How long do you get to do it or is it at your own pace?

My second post details how I got my first piece out so take a look at that if you like.

http://blogs.journalism.co.uk/editors/2008/10/09/too-old-to-become-a-journalist-how-i-started-freelancing/

A

I was delighted to see the message about your blog on Facebook as I too am 28 and have just begun my NCTJ. I’m doing it distance learning though my work though. I don’t work at a publication/newspaper and i’ve never done any kind of journalism before so it’s a whole new experience for me. I have to admit when I got my course books though I was a bit daunted. My colleagues were really reassuring though as they are in the same boat. I’m finding the text book intersting so far though and i’ve started on teeline. I’m just wondering how I will ever get a chance to build a portfolio though when I work full time. One of my colleagues suggested that you can write articles in the style of different publications as you only have to prove you understand how to? Any advice would be much appreciated. How did you get started freelancing? Thanks! Gemma

I just wanted to reply to Sabuhi. Sabubi, it sounds like you already are a journalist?! I don’t think you’re too old to start retraining. I’m sure you’ve got a lot of life experience that you could apply to the job and more importantly, as my journalism teacher keeps going on about, an ability to empathise with people.

When do you know you’ve become a journalist? This is something I’ve been thinking about lately. While I’ve got quite a good portfolio together I still don’t consider myself a journalist.
Not yet.

Sabuhi you don’t consider yourself a journalist even though you write for web and have had several staff newspaper jobs!

Also Chris Gaynor. In your ‘rant’ (!) you say you are still looking for a job but have set up a website and blog.