More apprentice journalists will develop their careers with Tindle and follow in the footsteps of reporters who have qualified with skills for life.
Three new apprentices have joined Tindle’s news brands, following the success of our first cohort of learners who completed their National Council for the Training of Journalists qualifications.
Of the five original apprentices, four took up full-time reporter roles with the company, and it is hoped that the new intake will have the same success.
Tomos Evans has joined the Lydney team, James Griffiths has joined the Wellington office and Marcus McQuilton is the newest member of the Farnham newsroom.
National Apprenticeship Week, which took place last week, is organised to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses and the wider economy. The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2024 was ‘Skills For Life’.
Training completed
Our first five editorial apprentices, who were recruited after more than 200 people applied, qualified as journalists last summer at the end of their training.
The colleagues, who worked across our titles in south west England and Wales, were recruited in 2021 in the first Tindle apprenticeship drive, carried out as part of a fresh focus on employing journalists in the heart of communities to bolster the popular print titles while growing online reach through our enhanced digital strategy.
The apprentices built up valuable work experience in our newsrooms while undergoing formal courses to get the qualifications needed for editorial careers. Tindle learners work alongside reporting colleagues to gain an on-the-job understanding of newsgathering and reporting, while achieving NCTJ qualifications.
Working in a multi-platform environment, the apprentices gain skills in producing video for our websites, photographs for publication and engaging news copy, as well as strong experience of digital publishing and social media audience development.
Based in the Cornish town of Liskeard, Scarlett Hills-Brooks (above right) is now established as a reporter producing news stories, photos, videos and articles for the Cornish Times and the Cornish & Devon Post, to be published on the website and in the newspaper.
Journalist knowledge
She says: “It has been six months since I qualified from my apprenticeship with a NCTJ qualification and during that time I feel I have become an established and well-rounded journalist within the newsroom.
“Since then, I have been involved in a mixture of exciting experiences such as being out and about with the local police force during a Christmas drugs campaign and being invited to watch and review a number of theatre performances, both of which have really provided an insight into the variety of things you can get involved with as a journalist.
“The apprenticeship was a great stepping stone within my journalism career. It has provided me with a well-known qualification within the industry and allowed me to gain a plethora of journalist knowledge.”
Colleague Lauren Meredith (above left) who produces editorial content for the Abergavenny Chronicle, was named Journalism Apprentice of the Year award at the Cardiff and Vale College Apprenticeship Awards last year.
Shared pride
Emily Woolfe, Group Editorial Director, said Tindle editorial colleagues were proud of the progress made by the company on apprenticeships.
Emily said: “Building on the progress made by our first cohort of apprentices, we are looking to give new opportunities to more learners who can get invaluable experience learning in an editorial environment while gaining their essential qualifications.
“The majority of our first group have stayed with the company and are making a major contribution to their websites and newspapers every week as fully-trained colleagues.
“To have all five complete their programmes speaks volumes about the success of the learning provision as many apprenticeship programmes expect to see people leave.
“We continue to be well-supported by the NCTJ and are pleased to have seen our apprenticeship intake recognised as award-winning, adding to the sense of shared pride among everyone who has helped the trainees get established.
“I am excited to see what our new intake are able to achieve.”