THE Daily Echo’s Classroom in the Newsroom journalism training course has been re-accredited by the national journalism training body.

The Echo joined forces with Highbury College in Portsmouth in 2016 to launch the one-year diploma in journalism course based at its Southampton headquarters and mixing high-quality training alongside work experience at the paper and website, dailyecho.co.uk.

Students learn how to be a working journalist and leave with all the skills they need to make it on a newspaper, website, TV or radio station.

Now the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) has re-accredited the course after a visit by its inspection panel.

Echo editor Gordon Sutter said: “It is a huge boost that the NCTJ has recognised what we are trying to do here in Southampton.”

Paul Foster, journalism course leader at Highbury College, added: “We’re delighted to have received NCTJ re-accreditation. The course is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who wants to break into the media industry.”

The diploma covers the essentials of journalism and includes reporting, public affairs, media law, court reporting, video broadcasting, and shorthand.

The Echo and Highbury College are now accepting applications for the 2018 One Year NCTJ Diploma in Journalism course starting in September

Candidates need at least 5 A*-C grades at GCSE including English and ideally should have also achieved either two A Levels or an equivalent Level 3 qualification such as a BTEC Diploma.

The programme will run over 36 weeks starting from September 2018 and successful students will achieve a Diploma in Journalism, accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Candidates will not usually not be expected to pay a fee if they are under 19 at the start of the academic year, aged 19-23 at the start of the academic year and are unemployed and in receipt of certain government benefits or aged 19-23 at the start of the academic year and do not already hold a full Level 3 qualification.

Apply at highbury.ac.uk/journalism, ring 023 9238 3131 or e-mail journalism@highbury.ac.uk to arrange an interview.