Job description
Trainee Reporter - Liverpool Echo
Have you ever felt that topics and issues in your local community are not seen in the media?
Would you love a career in Journalism, to tell the stories from your area that matter to you and the people around you?
If yes, Reach plc are looking for an aspiring journalist to join our newsroom team in Liverpool.
Maybe you havent been able to access formal journalism training or you hadnt considered a career in journalism before? We want to hear from you!
This role is part of Reach Boost - a scheme to make sure our journalist teams represent people from as many backgrounds as possible.
What is Reach Boost all about?
Weve created Reach Boost for people that perhaps hadnt considered a job in journalism or havent been able to access formal journalism training before.
The scheme has been designed to improve representation from people of diverse social backgrounds in our newsroom and involves partnering with NCTJ-accredited course providers to take on and support students to achieve formal journalism training.
Successful Reach Boost candidates will get an apprentice reporter job at Reach, be given leading industry standard training while being paid an annual starting salary of 21,500.
Is this opportunity right for you?
For starters, you will be passionate about our great city!
We are passionate about serving our diverse communities better and would love to hear from you. We believe that together we can improve how we cover our areas and offer opportunities to people who may not have considered this as a career before. At Reach, we strongly believe in the benefits of flexible working, work/life balance and freedom in our day to day jobs.
Reach Boost offers a paid route into journalism
For applicants with no previous journalism experience or education, we are offering paid training. We welcome applicants with no previous journalistic experience for this pathway, and flexible arrangements will be considered.
You will receive industry-leading digital journalism training on the job, as well as the gold-standard NCTJ journalism training to become a fully trained journalist.
Candidates need to have at least five GCSEs with Maths and English at a Grade 4 or above (or equivalent).
What will I be doing as a trainee journalist?
Working as part of our team, you will be producing digital storytelling and covering live news. This includes the exciting opportunity to provide live coverage of breaking news. In order to gather the best stories, you will build strong contacts in underserved communities. With our training and support, you will develop the skills needed to be comfortable interviewing, taking pictures, and filming when out on the job.
You should love all things social media and use your skills to build audiences and communities, ensuring content is shared on social platforms. By leveraging your expertise throughout your training in digital storytelling and social media, you will play a vital role in our newsroom.
Who are we looking for?
We're looking for a creative, curious, and passionate person who is interested in journalism. You should have a strong understanding of social media and storytelling across various social platforms. We want you to be deeply committed to the diverse stories we cover, as we seek to grow our audience and connect with new communities.
To qualify for the role, you should have achieved at least five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths and English. This is a permanent contract, and we will provide you with the training and support necessary to develop your career as a journalist. With the right mindset, motivation, and the skills you will acquire, you can become a valuable member of our newsroom, and contribute significantly to our success.
What can we offer you?
We are offering a competitive salary and benefits including;
- Help saving for your retirement - join our pension scheme and well match contributions up to 6%
- 25 days holiday per year when you join. After three, five and ten years service with Reach, youll accrue one additional day of annual leave. We also have a Holiday Purchase Scheme
- Giving back day - an additional days leave each year to support a cause close to your heart
- Enhanced family leave - including maternity, paternity and adoption - and youll be eligible after just six months employment
- Private Healthcare Cash Plan - free health cash plan so you can claim back cash for a range of medical expenses
- As one of the UKs top 50 Inclusive Employers everyones invited to join our events, programmes and networks to celebrate diversity and build an environment where all our people can thrive
- Wellbeing support - including a 24/7 employee assistance programme (EAP) for you and your nearest and dearest
- Awesome career opportunities - youll have support from your line manager and a range of learning & development programmes
- We are also a member of the 30% Club, a global campaign aimed at increasing gender diversity at board and senior management levels
Reach plc believes diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why we are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all suitable applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.