"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."
Journalism courses for school students proved to be a big hit during the Easter holidays. Pupils from half a dozen schools in Dorset spent a day learning about travel writing, magazine journalism and sports journalism at Up To Speed’s offices at the Daily Echo in Bournemouth.
In an exercise called “Behind The Blue Doors” they described the Echo’s art deco interior and discovered echoes of the past in a secret room deep in the bowels of the building.
School Photography Course
The photography course on the second day was taken by press photographer Hattie Miles, who encouraged the group to look for stories in photographs and images.
Summer Courses in Journalism and Photography
Additional courses in journalism and photography will be running during the summer.
Sixth-Formers from schools and colleges in Dorset had a chance to find out about journalism and photography last week. Three taster days at Up To Speed’s offices in the Bournemouth Daily Echo building covered written journalism, broadcasting and photography.
The students braved biting North-East winds and chilly February temperatures to cover stories about sport, shopping, film, tourism and fashion.
The pictures taken by photography tutor Hattie Miles show the students who took part in the photography day on Friday. The day included an opportunity to meet a 17-year-old student on one of our NCTJ professional courses, photographer Peter Summers.
Up To Speed is holding three one-day workshops in the February half-term to give Year 12 and Year 13 students a chance to try their hand at photography and writing news and features.
The practical classes will be taught by qualified journalists and photographers on our staff and based at our training centre in the Bournemouth Daily Echo building. Our staff have decades of experience of working in the media and can offer careers advice, practical tips and feedback.
If you are in Year 12 and considering UCAS and other options, the workshops will give you a chance to explore the possibilities of working in the media. If you are in Year 13, you will be able to find out if one of our fast-track courses starting in September, 2013 is for you.
Please note that we can only accept applications from Sixth Form students and that this is not a residential course.
Please download the course flyer for application instructions.
Glopho founder Simon Walker with Up To Speed’s NCTJ Photojournalism students. Picture by Neil Turner.
Students on Up To Speed’s NCTJ Photojournalism course were given a fascinating insight into the future of photography by a former national news photographer who has set up a social network for news pictures.
They heard about Simon Walker’s 20-year career with The Sunday Express and The Times and about his decision to create Glopho.
It was also a chance for Simon to catch up with a former colleague from The Times, Up To Speed’s photography tutor Neil Turner.
Up To Speed runs six-month full-time courses leading to the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism for Press Photographers and Photojournalists and is based at the Daily Echo building in Bournemouth.
To find out more about the social network Glopho, you can watch this video.
That is the question we have been asking people visiting the photojournalism course pages on our website.
About two-thirds of voters – 67% – say their ideal occupation would be to work as a photojournalist.
The second most popular job among our 800 voters was press photographer with 22%. Video wasn’t quite so popular. Just 3% of voters dreamed of being video journalists, while 8% hankered after life as a producer-director in documentaries.
Our recent students have used their NCTJ qualification in a number of ways. One has become the webmaster of an aid agency’s website and is developing its pictorial content using stills and video, another has added news photography to the portfolio of commercial and event work already undertaken by her agency, one is embarking on a new career as a newspaper photographer with a staff job in London, while another has become the staff photographer for a police force.
The photojournalism course at Up To Speed combines the skills of photography, writing and video production and gives you a nationally recognised professional qualification.
There are still limited spaces available on our next six-month course, which starts on September 25th. So, if you’re a creative spark with “an eye for photography”, then why not apply ?
If you would like to start a course in journalism or photography this Autumn, then why not get in touch?
Our courses are accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists and are based in a newspaper building.
You can chose from sports journalism, news reporting, magazine journalism, press photography and photojournalism.
We still have limited spaces on our courses for graduates, school leavers and people interested in taking a constructive Gap Year.
Call us today on 01202 411288.
Our former students have an excellent track-record in securing jobs in these areas.
And they are following in famous footsteps. Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Morgan are just two of the well-known journalists who took NCTJ exams.
Many of the country’s leading sports, news and magazine photographers began their working lives on NCTJ courses.
Call us this weekend on 01202 411288
If you are considering clearing places for degree courses in journalism or photography this weekend, we urge you to think about an alternative to university.
The six-month courses at Up To Speed lead to coveted NCTJ qualifications in sports journalism, news reporting, magazine journalism, press photography and photojournalism.
Our former students have an excellent track-record in securing jobs in these areas.
And they are following in famous footsteps. Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Morgan are just two of the well-known journalists who took NCTJ exams, but decided not to go to university.
Press photography student Rosalind Butt is celebrating after being offered a news photography post with Archant newspapers in East London.
The job will see Rosalind covering the full range of news and features work in the capital.
Psychology graduate Rosalind passed the NCTJ Certificate in Press Photography at Up To Speed in Bournemouth.
Mark Chappell, who passed the NCTJ Certificate in Photojournalism at Up To Speed, is now working as a staff photographer for Thames Valley Police.
There are still limited places available on our photography courses starting on September 26 if you have BCC in your A Levels or 260 UCAS points from another qualification.
The next interview day at Up To Speed is on Wednesday, February 15.
We will be meeting people interested in taking our next courses in news, magazine, sport and photojournalism.
More than half of the places on these journalism and photography courses have already been taken up by students who have been interviewed and have paid deposits. However, there are some spaces remaining.
The courses, which start at the end of September, are ideal for graduates, school leavers with good A Level grades and career-changers.
They lead to vital NCTJ qualifications.
The interviews take place at our offices at the Daily Echo in Bournemouth. To find out more call 01202 411288 or click apply.
Magazine expert Peter Jackson gave Up To Speed’s students a fascinating insight into the secrets of successful publishing and the power of the still image this week.
The owner of Grayling Publishing Services cautioned our photography and magazine journalism students against wordy, cluttered covers and showed how style, innovation and bold statements can make any publication alluring.
Peter was speaking from experience. He has twice been named Magazine Editor of the year and has edited Drive, TV Times, the Sunday Times Magazine, as well as being launch editor of the UK editions of Elle and Sky magazines.
You can see more examples of Peter’s work on his website Maximags.
