Journalist Review
at BBC
Degree Apprenticeship
Journalism and Publishing
London
Review Submitted: March 2025
Overall Rating
4.4 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
4/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I worked on different teams across online, digital, tv and audio. This included placements on investigative documentaries, podcasts, and specialist story teams, making multi-platform content. I worked on my own portfolio of stories, as well as producing for correspondents and as part of documentary teams.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I really enjoyed it. It was challenging - especially moving around different teams a lot so being the 'new person', and sometimes different teams/team members didn't realise how much experience we had, so sometimes felt we could be offering more. But it is a huge organisation so this is to be expected. I loved meeting my cohort on the scheme and doing weeks away training with them, this was so great and helped with imposter syndrome and confidence building, as well as building my network in the industry.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
Yes, lots of skills. Filming, editing, audio recording, audio editing, social media editing. Podcast editing. Writing scripts, presenter briefs. Writing online copy to a very high standard. Undercover documentary production and more.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
The structure of the programme of having training in online, digital, audio and TV both at the BBC Academy and University of Kent was excellent. The uni was great at training us for our exams and guiding us through our portfolios and End Point Assessments too, and were really organised. Sometimes there were organisational challenges with people's placements, as there were so many of us apprentices in various cohorts and schemes to place with teams on a rotating basis, which is challenging.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
I received lots of support from my employer when I was facing personal challenges, and spoke up and asked for support. This was encouraging and I have been asked to speak to other apprentices and on panels, to share this and what support is available. I also accessed workplace support through the DWP, supported by my employer.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
So much, the University of Kent were excellent. It was a brilliant, pastoral, high-level of training provided. We had excellent tutors for our law and advanced reporting exams. We also had great hands-on experience producing, presenting, reporting on the ground and editing our own documentaries, as well as leading teams. Plus great portfolio and EPA support. Couldn't recommend them more highly.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
It's really helpful to have the multi-platform experience and the advanced law and reporting exams, as well as the portfolio of work. I now work in online news reporting currently, and use skills from each of these every day in my work.
Some of the qualification from the NCTJ could be updated to be more modern/in line with a digital newsroom through.
Some of the qualification from the NCTJ could be updated to be more modern/in line with a digital newsroom through.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
Yes lots and the network with my fellow apprentices is brilliant. As we went for lots of weeks away training, both through the uni and the BBC Academy, we got to know each other really well and have loads of fun together. There are also wider BBC apprentice networks and sports teams to get involved in, in each region. Plus great internal networks, for example I'm part of the Global Women in News group, who put on excellent networking events.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BBC to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I have had excellent opportunities on the scheme. It has helped me to get a permanent job at BBC News as a journalist, which is so competitive. I also received industry-leading training in multi-platform areas, future proofing my career and making sure I am employable in a digital news landscape.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BBC?
It's very competitive, you may need to apply more than once. Think about what makes you stand out, what makes you unique and your specific interests and areas of expertise. Show passion for the BBC and the industry, and have great, creative ideas for hard to reach audiences.
