Former JDF recipient passes senior journalism exam

Former bursary recipient, Victoria Bull, has gained senior reporter status after passing the National Qualification in Journalism (NQJ).
Victoria has been training for these exams while working at the Hemel Hempstead Gazette, Berkhamsted & Tring Gazette and Herald Express. She is looking forwarding to getting more valuable experience as a senior reporter.

Seventy-one people sat the exam on Friday, 7 November and Victoria was one of forty-eight candidates who passed.

She said: “I was really nervous on opening the email from the NCTJ containing my results – I had heard a rumour that if you see an attachment in the message, it means you’ve failed because they’re your re-sit forms! So I did have a few seconds of panic but was so relieved to see I had in fact passed and all the hard work had paid off.

“I really wouldn’t be where I am today without the Journalism Diversity Fund, I owe the scheme so much for setting me on this path and for keeping in touch and providing support along the way.”

Victoria was awarded the Journalism Diversity Fund to study the fast-track in multimedia journalism at News Associates London in 2012. She achieved the gold standard diploma during her course.

The NQJ is divided into four sections: a media law and practice paper; a news report; a news interview; and an e-logbook.

Victoria felt working towards the senior exams was really a case of doing her day-to-day reporting job to the best of her ability.

She said: “Closer to the exam the pressure certainly piles on as you delve back into media law and put your sense of ethics to the test. Using shorthand daily at work meant I didn’t struggle so much with that aspect of the news interview and report sections but nerves definitely still set in on the day.”

Chief examiner, Steve Nelson said: “The NQJ remains as tough a test as ever of the various skills and experience required to achieve senior status.”

The examiners’ report, including a full pass list, can be viewed on the NCTJ website. The next NQJ exam will take place in March 2015.