Too old to become a journalist? - The NCTJ fast-track course: say so long to your social life.
I am now on week seven of my NCTJ course at Lambeth College, London.
As previous posts to the Journalism.co.uk forum will prove, I spent a large amount of time wondering whether or not to do an NCTJ course – was it worth the money and the time? Did I want to concentrate on news when I was a features writer?
I spoke to a few working journalists in the hope they could make the decision for me, but surprisingly opinion was mixed, especially in the dreaded shorthand debate (a national newspaper journalist I know doesn’t have a word of shorthand).
With the benefit of hindsight here’s my two-pence on the NCTJ:
It’s worth every penny.
Even if you want to be a features writer the NCTJ is a well-recognised qualification within the industry. There is a magazine equivalent but I’m not sure if it’s so well-known or respected.
I can only speak for the course at Lambeth but I am staggered by how much I already know about journalism, the government and the law and I can’t imagine walking into any publication – features or news – without it.
The Lambeth Course
The fast-track course at Lambeth is only 18 weeks. It’s Monday to Thursday and they expect you to spend your Fridays on work experience. The homework and revision has me working literally all the time.
The fees are £800 (international £3,390) at the moment and, according to the college website, are set to remain at that level for next February and September’s courses as well.
After that there is talk of the fees going up to a couple of grand. I found other NCTJ courses in London cost around £3K and some were wildly more expensive so at the moment Lambeth is great value for money.
While Lambeth College and the surrounding area may not be the most attractive place in London or the world (if you want leafy go to NoSweat), the course has an excellent reputation and pass rate.
The entry exam will see you writing a news story from a press release and quotes given to you. My story was about 500 plastic ducks that had been found on the local village pond. Yes, I did put: ‘Villagers thought they were going quackers…’ With phrases like that you better hire me before I get snapped up.
There is also a current affairs test with the usual questions like: ‘Who is the Chancellor?’ etc.
Once you’re on the course it is broken down into four sections:
Journalism
Mainly geared to hard news writing but I’ve found it really sharpens up feature writing as well.
You are taught what makes news and how to sub your copy to within an inch of its life to make your writing clear and concise.
It’s pretty formulaic but a quick read of any news story in a newspaper, national or local, applies the same principles.
Favourite quote from the teacher so far: “This is probably the hardest exam you will ever do.”
Law
Using the trusty tome ‘McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists’ you deal with all aspects of media law. Defamation made me want to lie down in a dark room. You also get out in the field: we went to the Jean Charles De Menezes inquest this week.
Public Affairs
Or ‘how central and local government works’. It’s an absolute minefield and I have no idea how councils function with the amount of regulations they must adhere to. Very interesting stuff however and satisfying when you read the paper and see what makes the political news – Russian Yacht trip anyone?
Favourite quote from the teacher so far: “If the council like you, then you’re not doing your job properly.”
Shorthand (Teeline)
Ah, the beast you must tame. To pass the exam you must be able to write 100 words per minute (this is only a C grade however, in other words, just a pass).
That’s a tall order in only 18 weeks but it can be done. The teacher says you must do two hours a night practice and she ain’t joking…
It’s two hours a night or re-take the exam. I am at around 50wpm now and it’s only week 7 – cue the ticker tape. If I can do it anyone can.
Favourite quote from the teacher so far, said after a discussion on the importance of keeping letters neat.: “If your colleague walks under a bus, then you need to be able to translate their shorthand.”
You also have to complete a portfolio of work, i.e. cuttings, but these don’t necessarily need to be published.
If you’re currently doing a journalism course, at a college or at a distance, then let us know how it’s going in the comment box below. What’s good, what’s bad?
It would also be interesting and helpful to hear from industry people with their thoughts on the NCTJ:
- Do you think it’s worth it?
- What are your criticisms of it – the video and online aspects perhaps?
- Would you hire someone with an NCTJ over someone without?
- What do you think of the magazine equivalent course?
Calling all feature writers and magazine editors – NCTJ, do you need it?
Similar posts:
- New blog series: Am I too old to become a journalist?
- NCTJ Journalism skills conference: Is shorthand ‘vital’ as a journalism skill?
- Too old to become a journalist: Interviewing or the reason this blog post is late
- NCTJ survey on multimedia training still open for comments
- BBC: Bill Thompson on journalism in the ‘network age’
October 24th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Good that its working out for you. Was talking with a mate of mine at a paper who did a similar thing in the West country — intensive, low-budget but got him where he is with minimal wasted time and money. Seems like the best plan in an uncertain environment. In fact, I rather wish I’d done the same myself. I did a course at City uni that wasn’t bad, but wasn’t nearly as efficient, time and money-wise, as yours.
1. It wasn’t really a course in International Journalism, which to me would involve detailed instruction on different markets, various environments for journalists (e.g. shield laws in the US, kisha clubs in Japan, censorship in Singapore, etc), global job-related contacts, etc. It was, pretty much, a course for international students wanting to study journalism. Not a bad thing, but a bit of a red flag when you realise that…
2. It cost a lot more than the other courses. And that’s *before* you add the usual hefty mark up for students who are actually foreign. And this despite…
3. No more than a couple of classes of legal tuition. The official reason was that since there were so many international students and many of them return abroad, it would be pointless to teach them UK law. Well, except that a lot don’t return. And even if they do, how about at least a quick spin round the legal hazards you could most easily run into in the world’s bigger journalistic markets? Would be handy for job interviews/freelance pitches at least. On the subject of which…
3. Course turned out not to be NCTJ accredited, something they don’t mention, while trumpeting it for all the other courses. i.e. it’s very easy to just assume they all have the requisite accreditation. Admittedly my fault for not checking that, but again, how hard would it be to get some kind of industry body endorsement, even if not the usual suspects? It sits right alongside courses that have similar, after all. Would have been nice to have had it flagged, anyway.
Don’t regret doing it, but do think investing less time and money, and taking a more intensive, cheaper course, would have been less risky. Well done on your choice. Best of luck w/things once it’s finished.
October 26th, 2008 at 12:02 am
[...] Too old to become a journalist? - The NCTJ fast-track course: say so long to your social life. | Jou… (tags: journalism schools education) [...]
October 26th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I’ve just had a look on the NCTJ website and you’re right, no sign of the City course being accredited.
Credited courses are here:
http://www.nctj.com/course_introduction.php?journal_id=journal_id
Thanks for your post. I always thought City was the holy grail of journalism courses but could never afford the £5K for the course.
Gimme Lambeth and a bag of chips any day.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I’m on the NCTJ Fast-track course at City College, Brighton and the course is consuming my life. Every night I’m drilling shorthand like Sarah Palin in an Alskan oil-field, and scouring the web for anything that might prove worthy of a piece for my portfolio.
There’s an invading sense of panic about the shorthand that spurs you on. 100 words per minute seems like an insurmountable peak, but then 7 weeks ago it might as well have been Hebrew. So there’s hope that a brain battered by 34 years into a damp rag, rather than the youthful sponges of my counterparts, will actually suck enough up to make the grade.
City College, Brighton is doing a fantastic job at pushing me further and faster than I thought possible and boosting my confidence at every turn. I know now that I can make a career out of this. I just have to bag the shorthand and not keep thinking, “isn’t this why they invented dictaphones?”
October 27th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
The entry exam will see you writing a news story from a press release and quotes given to you. My story was about 500 plastic ducks that had been found on the local village pond. Yes, I did put: ‘Villagers thought they were going quackers…
NO 1 Dump the press release
POLICE & AGENCIES STEP UP HUNT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTERS
Local councillor Janet Inforthemoney claims that more than £750,000 is being NEEDLESSLY spent by Nitwick County Council and other agencies following the overnight dumping of over 500 plastic ducks in a rural village pond.
The authorities were alerted when dozens of migrating Mosocovy Ducks were found dead and choking on the china sourced toys.
Farmer Joe Handout,56, from Beatendown Farm Nitwick said: “Its no joke, some of my best prize fresians drink downstream from the river feeding that pond. I’ve had to shoot five cows so far and cut milk production by half, this is the end of my farming career.”
The Environment Agency commented: “We have already launched an investigation with a view to taking the polluters to court, helped by the fact that a news release and an internet blog identified all those involved.
Last year the Environment Agency launched over 6,000 prosecutions for pollution offenses, following new legal rules which enables the EA to recover their pre-trial legal fees in addition to any damages award.
end
or you could go quackers…
cheers JULIAN BRAY
October 27th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
“Friday’s”? Looks like the subbing is going well …
October 27th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Actually that’s my error Tim, as I subbed Amy’s copy and didn’t pick up on it. Noted, amended, hands held up - cheers.
October 27th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Julian, thanks for supplying this. For the entry exam we were supplied with about three quotes from the police and local residents and were asked to write the story from that.
I don’t know whether they use the same story for the entry exam - probably not.
Amy
October 28th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I’m on the LIverpool fast track at the moment - I’m also about 50WPM - boardering on 60…we have an exam booked on Nov 12th for these speeds..
I chose Liverpool as I thought I would be an exciting city to study in ( which it is) and alot cheaper than studying in London ( also true). However the fees at 1,400 are slightly more pricey but not as much as most of the others I saw - £3-4 K. I’m quite jealous of the fact that you were able to attend that inquest…
I think this course is good value for money and I also couldn’t imagine working on a paper without public affairs knowledge or law. I hate the shorthand but I also love the fact that I will hopefully eventually have this skill which is so sought after,useful and difficult!
I’m wanting to apply for jobs but havn’t seen any…
I definetley think the news writing exam will be the hardest - in fact I’m dreading it alot more than shorthand. Before I started I assumed it would be the easiest as I’d already had some experience in writing news but the way it is structured is completly different to what I’m used to. It’s like you have to forget everything you were ever taught abbout writing and the quote that got me from my teacher was that ‘journalists on the mirror or the sun are the best journalists in the country’.
November 4th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I am on the noSWeat course in London.
It’s going well, I suppose. I just hope I pass.
It’s a real slog though - can’t just turn up and pass!
January 4th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Erm…28 is hardly ‘old’. Is there anyone seriously older doing this kind of stuff.. Like anyone in their 40s or even beyond that? If there is no one reading, do any of you have mature mature students on your courses?