"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."
Up To Speed photojournalism student Ellie Hoskins has landed a job as a photographer with a group of newspapers in East London.
Ellie, 21, joined the Up To Speed fast-track course in Bournemouth after taking a degree in Documentary Photography at the University of Wales, Newport.
During the intensive course at Up To Speed, Ellie honed her photography skills and knowledge with tutors Neil Turner and Hattie Miles, and also learned Media Law and writing. She received 3As and two Bs in her NCTJ Diploma exams and portfolio.
She starts with Archant newspapers in mid-March.
The next NCTJ Photojournalism course at Up To Speed starts in January.
Students on Up To Speed’s Photojournalism course have spent the last two Wednesday afternoons covering sport.
They covered varsity rugby matches on the first day and football games on the second week.
A sports photograph is a key element of the NCTJ Photography Portfolio they will submit next term. They were accompanied by their tutor Hattie Miles, who has taken some pictures you can see on our Facebook page.
The students sports photos can be seen on our news site.
The next NCTJ Fast-Track course in Press Photography and Photojournalism starts at Up To Speed next September. The six-month course covers all practical aspects of photojournalism and can be taken by school-leavers, graduates or career-changers.
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.
Even in the age of Facebook, instagram and the iPhone 5, professional photographers all over the world still have to contend with people who hate having their picture taken.
And so we felt it was only fitting that the nine new students starting on Up To Speed’s photojournalism course should start out by sitting for pictures themselves.
The shots were taken by photography tutor Hattie Miles, a highly experienced news and features photographer, who is used to putting people (including photographers) at ease.
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 ?
Up To Speed photojournalism student Mark Chappell has proved that every cloud can have a silver lining by selling some of his wet-weather pictures to the Daily Mail.
Mark has just completed the NCTJ Photojournalism course at Up To Speed. Students on the course have to produce a weather picture for their portfolio and the British weather gave Mark several opportunities to catch sunshine in Winter and snow in Spring.
A highly experienced press photographer is joining the teaching team at Up To Speed.
Hattie Miles will take practical classes with students on the NCTJ-accredited Photojournalism Course this Autumn.
The former deputy chief photographer on the Daily Echo in Bournemouth is a busy freelance photographer covering features and news for national and regional newspapers and magazines.
Hattie is a qualified and experienced teacher.
Photographer Hattie Miles
Hattie joins photographer Neil Turner on the Up To Speed photography course.
The calendar for the NCTJ Photojournalism course at Up To Speed is online now. There are limited spaces remaining on this accredited journalism course, which starts in Bournemouth on September 25th 2012.
The Up To Speed course is based at the Bournemouth Daily Echo.
Use the “week” tab and move forward to September 25th for full details.
Two photographers who took the NCTJ Photojournalism course at Up To Speed are holding an exhibition of their work in London this week.
Liz Wainwright and Debbie Yawetz were on different fast-track courses at our training centre in Bournemouth, but got together to stage the show at Calumet Photographic in Euston.
There is an open evening on Thursday, May 3rd which is an ideal opportunity to pop in and see the work of two talented young photographers.
Up To Speed student Liz Wainwright is planning to use the skills she has honed on her NCTJ Photojournalism course in a new role with a charity.
Liz will use her web, writing, photography and video skills in her new job with Community Health Global Network.
CHGN provides links, support and training for community-based health programmes all over the world.
Liz has just completed the NCTJ Fast-Track in Photojournalism at Up To Speed and passed exams in News Writing, Media Law, General Photographic Knowledge and Photographic Practice.
In her second term at Up To Speed, which is based at the Bournemouth Daily Echo, Liz spent time with Rockhopper Television, a documentary production company, and with viral video producer Adelia TV.
Liz has an MSc in International Development and she has previously worked for a charity in Zambia and as deputy editor of an environment magazine.
The next NCTJ Photojournalism Fast-Track course at Up To Speed starts in September, 2012.
