NCTJ re-opens itself to scrutiny at annual Student Council
Student journalists will be encouraged to outline their vision and aspirations for multimedia training and qualifications at the NCTJ Student Council 2010.
Student journalists will be encouraged to outline their vision and aspirations for multimedia training and qualifications at the NCTJ Student Council 2010.
Representatives of more than 1,800 journalism students from 68 courses at 40 centres accredited by the NCTJ will be attending the annual event at The Guardian on Friday, 12 February.
Joanne Butcher, NCTJ chief executive, said: “Transparency and accountability are highly prized values at the NCTJ and the Student Council is an invaluable opportunity to connect with the people who are central to our work.
“Previous council meetings, at the Manchester Evening News in 2008 and Bloomberg in 2009, have placed students where they should be, at the heart of our decision-making.”
The council members will get the chance to question senior NCTJ staff about the issues that matter to them in a panel session chaired by Joanne Butcher. Progress with action agreed at previous meetings will be reported including the considerable investment the training body has made in its website. Students attending previous meetings have demanded more direct communication with the NCTJ and the revamped website, which aims to do this, will be unveiled. All NCTJ students will be able to log-in to the site for advice, guidance and support as well as to check their examination results.
Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors and an NCTJ director, will chair a panel of editors, when students will have the opportunity to quiz editors about their future careers and the skills needed to thrive in today’s newsrooms. Panellists include Graham Dudman, managing editor of The Sun, and Dave King, editor of the Swindon Advertiser and the NCTJ’s chief examiner for sports journalism.
Following group discussions, students will feedback ideas and suggestions for consideration by the board of directors and trustees.
The day will conclude with The Guardian assistant comment editor Joseph Harker’s address to students and tours of the impressive multimedia newsroom.
