The Independent and Evening Standard launch new apprenticeship scheme to bring greater diversity to newsrooms

Scheme will provide four young journalists with on-the-job training and an NTCJ diploma

The company particularly invites applicants from diverse backgrounds (AFP/Getty Images)

The Independent and the London Evening Standard have announced an apprenticeship programme which seeks to encourage greater diversity in newsrooms.

The initiative from the company has created four editorial apprenticeships who will be given two-years of journalism training including a 20-week NCTJ diploma course. The Evening Standard/Independent group are particularly keen to recruit candidates from a diverse range of ethnic and social backgrounds.

The scheme has received backing from Goldman Sachs, Peabody, the Worshipful Company of Stationers & Newspaper Makers and the Journalism Diversity Fund who will all be partners in the project.

Support for the Evening Standard and The Independent project has come from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who said: "I commend this commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and I encourage businesses and organisations across London to support this new scheme." He said that the creation of four editorial apprenticeships would be "increasing diversity and helping to produce the next generation of world-class journalists.”

Sadiq Khan added: "The Evening Standard/Independent scheme has as its mission, widening of the ethnic and social representation within journalism and I am therefore delighted to offer my unreserved support."

The apprenticeships offer a structured combination of college-based education and on-the-job experience. The Evening Standard/Independent group are particularly keen to recruit candidates from a diverse range of ethnic and social backgrounds.

Apprentices will begin their training with a 20-week course accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists at UCFB’s Wembley Stadium centre. They will learn core skills including news reporting, feature writing, interview technique, developing stories, shorthand, video, use of social media, and media law. They will then go on to working alongside journalists at the Evening Standard, The Independent and London Live Television. They will be supported by workplace mentors, their NCTJ tutor and editorial executives.

The apprenticeships run for two years during which time apprentices will sit for their NCTJ diploma in journalism in addition to gaining an Advanced Level Apprenticeship qualification. Apprentices will at the end of their training be well-placed to compete for junior reporting and writing positions.

Michelle Pinggera, a Partner of Goldman Sachs, said: “We are delighted to support the Diversity Bursary scheme, supporting young people who would otherwise struggle to break into journalism as a career. Following our partnership with the Evening Standard on their ground-breaking Ladder for London Apprenticeship scheme in 2012, and the launch of our own Technology Degree Apprenticeship scheme this year, this shows our continuing commitment to using apprenticeships to broaden opportunities available to young people.”

Stephen Burns, Peabody’s Executive Director of Communities, said: “We are proud to be supporting the Evening Standard again following the great success we had with the Ladder for London programme. We are committed to opportunities that help young people learn new skills, enhance their job prospects and improve their life chances. Last year, Peabody created nearly 150 apprenticeships, helping to ensure we achieve our mission of making London a city of opportunity for all.”

Robert Flather, chairman of The Stationers’ Foundation, said: “The Stationers Foundation is pleased to support this exciting new initiative bringing young people into our industry and giving them well-structured training and experience. The initiative perfectly complements the Foundation’s existing educational support for young people through our school, graduate and post graduate schemes.”

Joanne Butcher, chief executive of the NCTJ, said: “The NCTJ is delighted to be supporting the Evening Standard and Independent’s innovative diversity scheme with help from the Journalism Diversity Fund. We all need to work together to tackle this issue and I hope it will inspire other media companies to launch similar initiatives to help people from diverse communities into journalism.”

Support for the scheme also came from Ken Olisa, Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, who said: "The Press plays a vital role in our democratic life – informing and entertaining us in equal measure. Core to the effective discharge of that responsibility is trust. And trust means that journalists must come – and be seen to come – from every corner of our society.”

Applications for the apprenticeship scheme are invited from candidates who have 5 GCSEs at grades A-C (and must, as a minimum, have GCSE English and Maths at C or above) or equivalent. Basic PC skills are essential. Apprentices will be paid the London Living Wage. The positions are open to those who do not already have an advanced apprenticeship and/or degree level qualification.

Applications can be made here. The closing date is 14 November.