News & blog

Amanda Ball, lecturer at Nottingham Trent University and NCTJ principal examiner has been honoured with the 2011 NCTJ chairman’s award for her outstanding contribution to journalism training and education.

The five top performing NCTJ accredited courses 2010-11 were presented with awards following the gala dinner at the Journalism Skills Conference held at Belfast City Hall on 30 November.

The NCTJ is rounding off its 60th anniversary celebrations this year with a special Journalism Skills Conference in Belfast this Wednesday and Thursday – 30 November and 1 December.

To describe my life now – two months into the MA Newspaper Journalism course at Nottingham Trent University – I am going to borrow a quote from my recent interview with comedy ninja Gina Yashere: “I’m hustling. I’m doing alright. I’m hustling”.

The shortlist for the third round of bursaries has now been announced and eight aspiring journalists will be interviewed by a panel of editors and senior journalists next month.

Top students and trainee journalists have been recognised and rewarded at this year’s NCTJ Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

Delegates attending the NCTJ’s Journalism Skills Conference on 30 November will enjoy a keynote address and Q&A session with Fearghal McKinney, SDLP communications consultant and Mike Nesbitt, Strangford MLA and UUP economy spokesman.

Trainee journalists across the UK sat the NCTJ National Certificate Examination on Friday, 4 November in a bid to gain senior qualification status.

On Friday, 17 June I received the news that kept my dream of pursuing a career in journalism alive.