Awards for Excellence shortlist announced and winners to be revealed at ceremony in Twickenham Stadium

Judges have shortlisted 59 students, trainees, apprentices and training providers in the 2022 Awards for Excellence.

Some 444 entries were received across the 17 categories for the annual awards, which highlight the achievements of individuals with promising journalism careers ahead of them, and those doing outstanding work in the media and training sector.

There are also 2,619 students and trainees eligible for the student and trainee of the year awards.

Click here to view the shortlist.

The winners of each category will be announced at a ceremony and awards lunch, which will take place at Twickenham Stadium on Thursday, 2 March 2023. News UK is the headline sponsor of the event.

Mark Hudson, head of early talent at News UK, said: “News UK is delighted to sponsor the NCTJ awards for a second year.

“The quality of journalism produced by all the entrants is incredible; judges’ decisions must be made by the finest of margins. It’s an annual reminder that the future of journalism is in safe hands.”

The ceremony will follow a seminar for training providers delivering NCTJ-accredited courses, as well as their industry advisers. The seminar will allow NCTJ course leaders to meet with one another, network with industry representatives and discuss the latest developments in journalism training with the NCTJ.

In the 2022 Awards for Excellence, there are six main categories for students, trainees and apprentices: news, sport, top scoop, features, podcast journalism and data journalism. Nominations are also taken for the best student projects.

Performance awards are also available for those who have achieved outstanding results in the Diploma in Journalism, National Qualification in Journalism and the Junior Journalist Apprenticeship.

There were 26 entries for the Community News Project award, which recognises the exceptional work being done by reporters hired under the Community News Project (CNP) banner. A number of CNP reporters are also shortlisted in various other categories.

Recipients of the Journalism Diversity Fund (JDF) also feature prominently in the judges’ shortlist.

The National Council for the training of journalists awards at Halle St Peters, Manchester.

JDF recipient Sophie Perry, who founded the LGBTQ+ Journalism network, was shortlisted for the equality, diversity and inclusion award alongside Sky News multimedia journalist Amrit Singh Mann and social enterprise Ability Today’s Academy for Disabled Journalists.

This award, sponsored by the Financial Times, recognises the outstanding work of individuals, educators and employers who promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the media and training sector.

Course tutors Josh Jones from Glasgow Caledonian University and Lisa Bradley from the University of Sheffield, as well as training provider News Associates, have all been shortlisted for the Innovation of the Year award, which encourages and recognises innovation in journalism training and education.

The winner of the 2022 chairman’s award, which recognises a nominated individual’s outstanding contribution to high standards of journalism training and education, will also be announced at the event.

The individual awards are as follows:

Trainee and student news journalism, sponsored by Iliffe Media
Trainee and student sports journalism, sponsored by Sky Sports
Trainee and student top scoop, sponsored by Sky News
Trainee and student features of the year, sponsored by Mark Allen Group
Trainee and student podcast of the year, sponsored by The i Podcast
Trainee and student data journalism, jointly sponsored by The Market Research Society and The British Polling Council
Student project of the year, sponsored by The News Movement
Innovation of the year
Equality, diversity and inclusion award, sponsored by the Financial Times
Community News Project award, sponsored by Meta
Apprentice of the year award, sponsored by Brunswick Group
Student of the year award, sponsored by Yahoo! UK
Trainee of the year award, sponsored by Alder Media

Click here to view the shortlist.

Thank you to all our awards judges:

Kamal Ahmed, editor-in-chief, The News Movement
Kathryn Anastasi, head of live sport, talkSPORT
Alice-Azania Jarvis, deputy editor, Times 2 at the Times
Kimberley Barber, regional editor for Hampshire, Newsquest
Kathryn Batte, women’s football correspondent, Daily Mail
Abu Bundu-Kamara, senior director of inclusion and diversity, Expedia
Andy Cairns, director and trustee, NCTJ
Will Dean, editor, Guardian Weekly
Nancy Fielder, editor, The Star, Sheffield
Kim Fletcher, partner, Brunswick Group
Alan Geere, editorial consultant and journalism educator
Jacob Granger, senior reporter, journalism.co.uk
Harriet Hall, features director, Cosmopolitan UK
Emily Hewett, head of audience development, DC Thomson
Ashna Hurynag, news correspondent, Sky News
Luke Jacobs, regional editor (east), KentLive and SussexLive editor, editor of New Audiences and Untold Stories, Reach plc
Anna Jeys, audience and content director (Midlands, Cheshire, Lincolnshire), Reach plc
Lucile Kamar, head of diversity and inclusion, ITN
Dan Mclaughlin, podcast producer, Laudable Podcasts
Shajan Miah, interactive journalist, BBC Sport
Rhoda Morrison, editor, Edinburgh Evening News
Richard Neville, head of newspapers, DC Thomson Media
Cristina Nicolotti Squires, director of content, Sky News
Nikki O’Donnell, senior editorial policy adviser, BBC
Nick Petche, editor-in-chief, Yahoo! UK
Richard Porritt, regional editor, Eastern Counties, Newsquest
Peter Raven, data journalist, YouGov
Claire Sanderson, editor-in-chief, Women’s Health
Abbie Scott, deputy managing editor, Financial Times
Emily Sexton-Brown, managing editor, (news, life, distribution & video UK), Insider Inc
Pete Sherlock, editorial lead, BBC Shared Data Unit
Dharmesh Sheth, reporter and presenter, Sky Sports News
Emma Yates, assistant features editor, The Sun

Everyone on the shortlist will be invited by the NCTJ to the ceremony and lunch at Twickenham Stadium on Thursday, 2 March.

Tickets for the Awards for Excellence ceremony and accreditation seminar can be booked here.