NCTJ Courses, NCTJ Diploma, NCTJ Photo, NCTJ Accredited Courses

"Without Up To Speed I would not have been able to get a job in journalism. The facilities there are first class and it was a great atmosphere to take my first few steps as a journalist."

Ryan Jennings, Reporter, Maldon Standard

"Up to Speed is friendly and supportive, with brilliantly helpful tutors. Up to Speed has definitely prepared me well for my career, and I know my editor thinks so too!"

Helen Tunnicliffe, Senior Reporter, The Chemical Engineer

"I find that I use my knowledge of Public Affairs every day. I often find myself writing political stories."

Daniel Shane, Editor, Network Middle East

"It is fantastic to have got something to do in my chosen field after taking the course at Up To Speed"

Sean Raymond, Sports Content Writer

"I'm pretty sure that my work experience at the Echo was responsible for me getting the job ... and of course obtaining 100wpm shorthand!"

Alana Lewis, News Editor, Llanelli Star

"We are here to give you the skills to succeed. Contact us now to make sure you are Up To Speed."

Tom Hill, Up To Speed's Founder

"I would recommend a course at Up To Speed to anyone seeking a career in journalism. The tuition is first-rate, the facilities are excellent, and the staff are knowledgeable and supportive."

Timothy John, Assistant Editor, Training Journal

"I really enjoyed my time here and I couldn't have asked for better teachers. It's amazing how much I have learned in these last couple of months. Doing this course has opened many doors for me."

Chrissy Symmons, Reporter, Shropshire Star

"The course is housed in a fantastic setup, giving students the facilities and guidance to develop their own style of journalism to a professional standard. I'm not surprised to hear of the success of past students."

Neil Lancefield, Press Association Multi-Media Journalist

"I'm so grateful for the tuition and help I received during my time at Up To Speed and also after the course finished."

Rebecca Greenow, Celebrity Writer, Reveal

"I learned about Twitter and blogging at Up To Speed and that's how I became an online columnist writing about Formula 1. It's so exciting."

Laura Allard, F1 Blogger and Social Media Executive, Cunard

"Tom could not have been more helpful when it came to advice and help with job applications. "

Ruth Norris, Assistant Editor, Cambridge University Press

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Up to Speed and it set me up well to begin my first job as a reporter; I use the knowledge I gained on the course on a daily basis. Mastering 100wpm shorthand was the best thing I've ever done."

Hannah White, Senior reporter, Salisbury Journal

"Up To Speed was a real springboard into sports journalism and the skills I learnt on the course have been highly valuable to my work at Sky Sports."

Rachel Griffiths, Football writer, Skysports.com

"If you're considering working in journalism, the NCTJ is the only place to start. I'd have no hesitation in recommending Up To Speed as the place to begin that career."

Rory White, Used Car Writer, What Car?

"I definitely wouldn't have stood a chance of getting my job if I hadn't been on this course, so thanks for everything."

Jack Kitson, Sports content writer

"The course has set me up really well for the job and I am loving it."

James Bass, Freelance editor, ESPN

"I am so pleased to have found a job writing about sport, it's something I have always wanted to do."

Chris Knight, Sports content writer

"Tom does a great job at Up To Speed. I went from knowing very little about journalism to earning some fantastic grades, invaluable contacts and top-end freelance work."

Michael Dias, Founder, Fame Awaits

"My editor on placement just kept saying that it was a brilliant idea to qualify before going to university."

Becca Parlby, Gap Year NCTJ student

"It's always been a dream of mine to work for a magazine, and I couldn't be happier as I am now the editor of a title."

Alice Rook, Editor, Do More Magazine

"I am really pleased that it has all worked out for me and that my decision to do something different, and not just follow all my friends to university, has paid off."

Heather Findlay, Features Writer, That's Life magazine

"It was absolutely excellent as I got the qualifications I needed and my boss was really impressed that I hadn't just followed everyone else and gone to university."

Laura Herbert, Reporter, Reading Post

"I have no hesitation in describing the knowledge, skills and experience both the course and Tom himself has provided me with as invaluable for securing a job in journalism."

Paul Briden, Writer, Know Your Mobile

"Without Tom's journalism school, I would never have landed my first job. Likewise, my every subsequent career success can be directly or indirectly ascribed to the education I received at Up to Speed."

Alexander Shaw, Parliamentary Researcher

NCTJ Student Case Studies

Career Destinations of Up To Speed Students

News Reporters

Alana Lewis has just become News Editor of the Llanelli Star. Alana joined Up To Speed as a languages graduate and worked for a newspaper in Wiltshire before joining the Star as a reporter.
Laura Herbert works as the Chief Reporter of the Wokingham Times and Bracknell Forest Standard. She joined Up To Speed straight after her A Levels and joined the Reading Post as a trainee reporter before her nineteenth birthday.

Sports Reporters

Rachel Griffiths works as a football writer for skysports.com. Rachel joined Up to Speed after taking an English degree at the University of Winchester. She got her foot in the door at Sky on a work placement.
Dominic Bryant is a news and sports reporter on the Bucks Herald. He came to Up To Speed a year after he left school and spent the intervening period travelling. After the course in Bournemouth he completed work placements with Sky Sports, talkSport and Matchbefore landing his current job.

Magazine Journalists

Rebecca Greenow has just started a job as a Celebrity Writer with Reveal. She was an English graduate and then enrolled on a fast-track NCTJ course at Up To Speed. She then returned to her local newspaper, the Cambrian News to work as a trainee reporter. Her next move was to Birmingham and a job as a features writer for the Caters Agency.
Rory White works as the Used Car Writer for What Car?. This is his second job with Haymarket Publishing. Rory’s blogging, tweeting and reviewing impressed Haymarket when he completed a work placement there at the end of the Up To Speed NCTJ course. Rory has a degree in English from the University of Kent.
Jessica Bridgeman joined Up To Speed straight from school. She has spent her career writing about fashion and beauty for magazines and their websites. She’s currently writing for handbag.com

Photographers and Photojournalists

Mark Chappell worked as an IT consultant, but had a passion for photography and news photography in particular. After leaving Up To Speed he landed a role as force photographer for Thames Valley Police and one of his first jobs was to cover the Olympic Torch procession.

Rosalind Butt was a psychology graduate who enjoyed street photography and fashion. She used her NCTJ qualification to land a role as a trainee news photographer with a group of weekly newspapers in East London.

Elizabeth Wainwright had a background in publishing and an MSc in International Relations when she came to Up To Speed. Elizabeth is now using her pictorial skills as webmaster for a charity in the aid sector and is developing several documentary projects while working there.

Other Career Destinations

Some of our students use the skills and qualifications they gain on our courses to work in related sectors. These include politics, Public Relations, Social Media and Marketing.

Henry Wallers joined Up To Speed with a degree in International Politics from the University of Leeds. After a work placement with the website Politics Home he joined the City PR Firm Smithfield as an Account Manager.

James Bass spent a couple of years chasing cars as Assistant Race Editor of Motorsports News. He is now an Account Manager for Kaos Europe PR.

Laura Allard is an ardent Formula One blogger with over ten thousand followers seeing her tweets on race days. She combines this with a PR and Social Media role with a beauty firm on the Isle of Wight.

Emily Chettle uses her journalism skills in her role as Communications Manager for the interior decor company Farrow and Ball.

Jonathan Moore joined up Up To Speed as a graduate with a love of travel, sport and politics. He now works a Senior Political Analyst for DeHavilland in Westminster.

Former Up To Speed Student Wows BGT

Former Up To Speed student Alice Fredenham is being tipped for stardom after making a huge impression on Simon Cowell and his fellow judges at the end of the first episode. And you can find out what one of Alice’s former classmates made of the show by reading celebrity writer Becky Greenow’s coverage in Reveal below.