I’m 34 and probably one of the oldest in the newsroom but once I have newswriting and shorthand then I can seriously start sending out job applications ! Next exam is in April – wish
me luck.

All the best to everyone, it’s hard juggling distance learning and a full time job with family commitments but I know it will be worth the hard slog eventually.

Thanks
Sara

http://paulynlloydwriter.yolasite.com/journalism-nctj.php

just wondering why No Sweat has a bad reputation? I am due to go into second year German at university but would rather complete an NCTJ course over 6months and go into the real world. Has anyone completed the No Sweat magazine course? And does anyone know if London College of Communication journalism FdA is NCTJ accredited because that is another option!?

Thanks,

Mena

It might also be worth having a look at our forums and posting your question there too – http://www.journalism.co.uk/journalists

I wondered what you might think about the NCTJ magazine course that is run by NoSweat and probably some other institutions.. I’ve spent the summer interning at various magazines (I graduated in languages, no journalism qualifications) and would love to get into features writing. The consensus I get is that you don’t need a qualification to make it, but most of the people i’ve spoken to that are relatively new hires *do* have qualifications… I spoke to an editor at a national mag and she said she wouldn’t *not* hire someone because they were unqualified, but a sturdy qualification does help her see people in a positive light.

Anyone completed a magazine course? They seem to be shorter (and cheaper) than the newspaper ones, but not sure if they’re just considered a ‘lighter’ version of the newspaper NCTJ..

Thanks, Louise

That’s the group link Laura! Good luck with the exams Nicki, it is worthwhile. I have just got what I consider to be my first really decent job in journalism at William Reed Business Media (who publish The Grocer) on the back of NCTJ study during several months of redundancy.

For all budding magazine journalists out there, the course is not as well-known throughout the sector, but the more serious employers are aware of how rigorous and worthwhile it is. At interview the fact I was studying the NCTJ and had already passed just one exam played very well. The distance-learning aspect also impressed them as evidence of commitment.

I guess before this I marked time from 2006 at smaller companies where the journalistic standards were a little less rigorous, there was less interest in developing staff, etc. Perhaps this is a necessary career course for all of us aspirants nowadays, but the truth is that I am sure I could have gone further faster if I’d done these exams 10 years ago. But then, what school careers advisor back in 1997 would have told me this?!

A final note to Will. Why not try a distance-learning course? I am doing one through Cleland Thom (he sends through assignments for you to complete via email and marks them by return, supplies necessary textbooks through Amazon, you enter the exams separately at £34 a pop.

Tutor support is via email and Skype, which was daunting initially, but he has a really good journalistic pedigree and really takes the time. The key thing? You’ll save yourself thousands over a university course, and can work at your own pace. Don’t want this to be a plug — will simply say it is working extremely well for me.

I am currently in the process of deciding between offers between News Associates (short track NCTJ) and City (Newsp J MA). I really like the sound of both, but the reputation of City stands out. I just don’t know if it’s worth it though at 8 grand.

NA looks great and I am probably going to go for that. I would love to hear from people who have done the course there (pop me an email: willw101@hotmail.co.uk) to find out how they got on.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Will