Trailblazer apprenticeship update

Work on new apprenticeship standards for journalism is well underway in 2015.

Employers from the media industry are taking part in the government’s trailblazer initiative to reform apprenticeships, putting employers in control of design and funding.

The NCTJ is working with the trailblazer employer group which had its first meeting of the year in January. The magazine industry is now represented alongside their colleagues in newspapers and broadcast by Haymarket Media Group and Mark Allen Publishing.

Following development of an assessment plan for the level 3 standard for junior journalists, some amendments have been made to the published standard and this has now been submitted to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) for approval.

A higher-level apprenticeship standard for journalists has also been developed, providing another entry point into the industry and a progression route from the level three apprenticeship. This new standard has also been submitted to BIS for approval.

Once approved, the new standards will be ready to deliver from September 2015. If any centre is interested in becoming a training provider for journalism apprenticeships, please contact lyn.jones@nctj.com.