The i Paper Apprentice Talent Scheme

Summary

The i Paper is recruiting 2 apprentices to complete a diploma in journalism and gain experience in a busy national newsroom. Aimed at school & college leavers who would otherwise face barriers to a career in journalism, the 2-year course begins in Feb 25 & offers on-the-job training & mentoring from experienced journalists.

Annual wage: Competitive
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Journalist (level 5)
Hours: Monday - Friday, working hours TBC
40 hours a week
Possible start date: Saturday 1 February
Duration: 2 years
Positions available: 2

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Trainees will work towards achieving their Junior Journalism Apprenticeship, made up of the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism, and a final assessment project
Working on articles
Experience on multiple desks across the newsroom

Where you’ll work

Northcliffe House

9 Derry Street

London

W8 5HY

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

THE PRESS ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Your training course

Journalist (level 5)

Equal to higher national diploma (HND)

Course contents

Undertake research before reporting to ensure that journalistic content/material published or broadcast is accurate, impartial, balanced, engages the audience and is verifiable with industry standard use of English.
Identify, select, and verify multiple sources of information, including people, reports, data and social media, cross-checking and corroborating when necessary.
Take accurate, relevant notes when and where needed, use shorthand where required by your employer.
Assess the strengths/weaknesses of available platforms and where and when journalistic content is likely to work best.
Assess and produce journalistic content in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements; ethical issues and organisational specifications, alerting senior managers when necessary.
Make decisions and judgements at speed and when under pressure, on the way stories are researched and presented, aiming to lead when breaking news.
Find and use contacts to create journalistic content and exclusive stories which meet the needs of the target audience. Verify information from contacts and critically review its short and long-term implications.
Use audience analytics to evaluate the success of the journalistic content and how that can inform future decision-making.
Monitor relevant social media on a systematic basis. Proactively seek, verify and curate sources of user-generated content that will help improve targeted content, grow the audience and the depth of engagement.
Produce journalistic content using language which resonates with the audience as measured by audience analytics, social media interaction and reach or other internal "tools" used by employers to understand audience sentiment.
Produce journalistic content in multimedia combinations as required which "draw in" the viewer/listener/user to tell the complete story.
Report live to the audience from the scene of an event using remote technologies.
Publish journalistic content, using all available tools to enhance the user experience.
Undertake different types of interviews to extract information, identifying and selecting the right interviewing technique to suit the interviewee and seeking to make a connection with the subject.
Evaluate answers from interviewees to inform further questioning, probing for detail and inconsistencies in replies given. If needed, identify other people to speak to.
Check and evaluate own work in relation to industry standards, adhering to employer guidelines. Ensure it is of a quality to maintain the organisation's reputation in the industry.
Seek constructive feedback from relevant people about your performance; taking action as required.
Consider the impact of equality and diversity practices on individuals and groups and ensure those practices are inclusive.
Locate, clean and interrogate datasets to inform content generation.
Undertake research before reporting to ensure that journalistic content/material published or broadcast is accurate, impartial, balanced, engages the audience and is verifiable with industry standard use of English.
Identify, select, and verify multiple sources of information, including people, reports, data and social media, cross-checking and corroborating when necessary.
Take accurate, relevant notes when and where needed, use shorthand where required by your employer.
Assess the strengths/weaknesses of available platforms and where and when journalistic content is likely to work best.
Assess and produce journalistic content in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements; ethical issues and organisational specifications, alerting senior managers when necessary.
Make decisions and judgements at speed and when under pressure, on the way stories are researched and presented, aiming to lead when breaking news.
Find and use contacts to create journalistic content and exclusive stories which meet the needs of the target audience. Verify information from contacts and critically review its short and long-term implications.
Use audience analytics to evaluate the success of the journalistic content and how that can inform future decision-making.
Monitor relevant social media on a systematic basis. Proactively seek, verify and curate sources of user-generated content that will help improve targeted content, grow the audience and the depth of engagement.
Produce journalistic content using language which resonates with the audience as measured by audience analytics, social media interaction and reach or other internal "tools" used by employers to understand audience sentiment.
Produce journalistic content in multimedia combinations as required which "draw in" the viewer/listener/user to tell the complete story.
Report live to the audience from the scene of an event using remote technologies.
Publish journalistic content, using all available tools to enhance the user experience.
Undertake different types of interviews to extract information, identifying and selecting the right interviewing technique to suit the interviewee and seeking to make a connection with the subject.
Evaluate answers from interviewees to inform further questioning, probing for detail and inconsistencies in replies given. If needed, identify other people to speak to.
Check and evaluate own work in relation to industry standards, adhering to employer guidelines. Ensure it is of a quality to maintain the organisation's reputation in the industry.
Seek constructive feedback from relevant people about your performance; taking action as required.
Consider the impact of equality and diversity practices on individuals and groups and ensure those practices are inclusive.
Locate, clean and interrogate datasets to inform content generation.

Your training plan

Each apprentice will complete 6 weeks of intensive training with our partner PA Media Academy, followed by a 13-week programme of PA training from Monday to Thursday, with Fridays spent in The i Paper’s newsroom
Trainees will then work in The i Paper newsroom for the remainder of the two-year apprenticeship alongside completing their PA exams and final project

Requirements

Essential qualifications

A Level in:

Maths and English (grade C +)

BTEC in:

Maths and English (grade 4+)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Team working
Creative

About this company

i is Britain's youngest national news publisher – and one of the most trusted. i has a unique mission: publishing non-partisan reporting and intelligent opinion. With a strong digital subscriber audience and a healthy print circulation, i has also grown digital reach to 11m users a month. Its newsroom breaks some of the biggest stories in UK journalism. Growing in influence and profitable, i is shortlisted for News Website of the Year and National Newspaper of the Year in the 2024 Press Awards and is a recent winner of Daily Newspaper of the Year (London Press Club) and News Website of the Year (Online Media Awards). We pride ourselves on having a dynamic, collegiate work environment that celebrates creativity, innovation and success.

https://inews.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Onsite gym Onsite subsidised canteen Onsite nurse and GP clinics 25 days’ holiday per year dmg media Rewards PensionSaver Plan dmg media cycle scheme Train season ticket loan Healthcare scheme Dental insurance

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Kia Elise-Green, who became a feature writer of The i Paper after two years as an apprentice, said: “This scheme gave me a way into a career I dreamed of without the financial barrier of university. During two years as an apprentice, I worked on articles close to my heart, got experience on multiple desks in the newsroom and had support in every aspect of my training.

“I found my love for features and now I work every day with the team that taught me all I know.

“I’m so grateful for the newsroom and my tutors for the job I get to do. I don’t think I would be where I am in my career if this scheme didn’t exist.”

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

The i

Antonia Fox

antonia.fox@dmgmedia.co.uk

02036152994

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000288971.

Apply now

Closes in 7 days (Friday 20 December)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

You do not need journalism experience to apply. Please apply with a CV & cover letter explaining why you would make the most of this opportunity and 300 words on stories or issues that you believe should be better highlighted in the media and why. Applications are open now with a deadline of Friday 20 Dec 24 & the scheme starts in Feb 25 Candidates should be available for interview in early Jan 25. Please direct any questions to  apprentices@inews.co.uk

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