Meet Natasha, 20, and find out about life as an apprentice journalist in Halifax. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.
Natasha:
Hi, my name's Natasha, I'm 20 years old, and I'm an apprentice journalist.
Ever since primary school, I always knew that I wanted to be a journalist. A journalist is someone who writes articles about things that are happening either in their local community or nationwide. It's usually matters that affect people every day, and that's what makes it so important.
I work two days a week in Halifax for the Halifax Courier, as well as other Calderdale titles, so I get really broad range of experience working in lots of little communities.
One of the main skills I think I use every single day in my job is ringing someone up, chatting on the phone, learning to get telephone voice, and have a telephone manner as well.
I'm currently on an 18-month apprenticeship and, by the end of it, I should be qualified with the NCTJ, which stands for the National Council for the Training of Journalists.
It's really nice to be able to bring people to life and hear their voices, and give them a platform to speak, because newspapers and online media are such a powerful tools that we can use to benefit so many people.
I think having a blog is just a really useful tool to have, especially when you know you want to be a journalist because it can impress employers, but also gives them an idea of how you write. Even though you might have your heart set on a career, it's good to try different things out and get new experiences because it helps you grow as a person.
One of the things I did was go to France to work as a florist assistant for a bit and, although it wasn't directly linked to journalism, it helped with my confidence, it helped getting a second language. And it's all something that's going to impress your future employer.
Natasha's boss:
Natasha already possesses many of the skills required of a journalist. She's a people person, she's hard working, and she always provides the content that we require.
Natasha:
Last year, I got the chance to meet Prime Minister, Theresa May, and tell her about the importance of apprenticeships and that they are completely changing and becoming more available to creative careers.
I'm really looking forward to having a career in journalism and I think that the future is bright.
Even though you might have your heart set on a career, it's good to try different things out and get new experiences.
- Natasha decided she didn't want to go to university and instead wanted to follow her goal of becoming a journalist
- She's completing an 18-month apprenticeship. When she's finished she will have a professional qualification from the National Council for the Training of Journalists, which will make it possible for her to work in this field
- Natasha experimented with different writing styles and reporting in her own online blog.
Natasha is an apprentice journalist and the following information is based on a fully-qualified journalist.
What to expect if you want to be a newspaper journalist
- Newspaper journalist average salary: £14,000 to £50,000 per year
- Newspaper journalist typical working hours: 37 to 39 hours per week
What qualifications do you need to be a newspaper journalist?
You could get into this role via a university course, a college course, an apprenticeship, working towards the role or specialist courses run by professional bodies.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
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