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Why work experience is non-negotiable
In UK journalism, a degree or NCTJ qualification gets you to the shortlist. Work experience gets you the job. Editors hiring trainees or junior reporters want evidence that you have functioned in a real newsroom — filed stories under deadline, dealt with sources, worked within a team, and survived the daily pressure of news output.
The good news is that work experience does not need to be at a national title to count. A well-supervised week at a regional daily, local radio station, or online news site produces genuine newsroom experience — and often more hands-on opportunity than a prestige placement where student observers are kept at a distance.
Routes to your first placement
Cold approach to local and regional editors
The most accessible route. Local and regional newspapers, radio stations, and online news sites regularly take students for one or two-week placements. Research the outlet, read their recent coverage, and send a targeted email to the editor or news editor (not an info@ address). Include a brief bio, two or three clip URLs, and a specific placement request.
NCTJ approved work experience providers
The NCTJ maintains a directory of approved work experience providers who have committed to offering quality placements as part of the NCTJ training ecosystem. Check the NCTJ website for the current list. These providers are particularly relevant if your course requires an NCTJ-approved placement element.
Reach plc regional placements
Reach plc is the UK's largest commercial publisher, covering titles including the Mirror, Express, and scores of regional dailies such as the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, and Birmingham Live. Reach has structured placement and apprenticeship routes. Check the Reach Careers website for current openings.
BBC Journalism Trainee Scheme
The BBC's structured entry route for broadcast journalism. Highly competitive and requires a strong application including audio or video clips. Applications typically open annually. Also explore the BBC Local Radio work experience programme, which is more accessible than the national trainee scheme.
National World, Newsquest, and Iliffe Media
These regional publishing groups operate across England and Scotland with dozens of local titles. They are less prominent than Reach but often more willing to take student placements with less competition. Approach individual newsrooms directly.
Writing an effective cold email for work experience
A cold email to an editor should achieve one thing: make it easy to say yes. Keep it short, specific, and demonstrably targeted at that outlet.
What a strong cold email includes:
- ›A specific, professional subject line: e.g. “Work experience request — journalism student, [dates]”
- ›One sentence saying who you are, where you study, and what you are studying
- ›A direct, specific request: “I would like to request one week of work experience, and I am available from [date] to [date]”
- ›One sentence showing you know the outlet: reference a specific story or topic they cover
- ›URLs to two or three of your published clips
- ›An attached one-page CV
- ›A professional sign-off with your phone number and email
Making the most of your placement
- 1Arrive early, stay later than asked, and be visibly willing to take on any task, however small.
- 2Pitch story ideas every day. Even if none are taken, it demonstrates initiative and understanding of the outlet's agenda.
- 3File everything as if it were going straight to publication — the discipline of treating every piece of copy as final is a career-long habit worth building now.
- 4Ask questions, but do not interrupt deadline crunch. Observe how experienced journalists work and ask to debrief afterwards.
- 5Get bylines. Politely ask whether you will receive a byline for stories you have contributed to. These clips are the primary output of your placement.
- 6Follow up after the placement with a thank-you email and keep the relationship warm — many first jobs are offered to students who made a strong impression on work experience.
Common mistakes when seeking work experience
- Sending a generic email without any evidence you have read the outlet — editors spot these immediately.
- Approaching national titles before having any published clips — your application will not progress.
- Accepting an unpaid placement without checking whether it meets the National Minimum Wage exceptions.
- Not following up if you do not hear back — one polite follow-up after two weeks is expected and appropriate.
- Treating work experience as passive observation — you need bylined clips to justify the time.
- Burning bridges by being late, unreliable, or difficult to work with — the UK journalism industry is small.