Journalism Apprentice Review

Item: Journalism Apprentice at BBC
Rating: 4.4
Author: Anonymous

at BBC

Higher Level Apprenticeship

Journalism and Publishing

Newcastle upon Tyne

Review Submitted: May 2026

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!

5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

4/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

A typical day can vary depending on whether you're working a planning (pre-production) shift or a reporting shift.
A planning shift could consist of anything from: finding and pitching stories to commissioning editors, contacting potential contributors/interviewees to arrange filming, organising filming logistics such as times, locations, filming permissions and reporter/crew, sourcing additional media to be used in the story, and doing additional research.
A reporting shift involves going out to the scene of a story, conducting interviews, and collaborating with a camera operator (if present) to gather footage for television (and audio for radio). As the reporter you're then responsible for providing the news story for one or more outlets (TV/radio/online/socials). This involves writing articles for online, writing scripts for television/radio, recording a voiceover, and either independently editing the story together into a TV/radio 'package' or working with a pictures editor to do so.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

5/5

I thoroughly enjoy this programme. It's incredibly rewarding to be able to work on stories that really matter to people in the North East. I've enjoyed the challenge of going out to gather news reports and the satisfaction of having an article published or a television package transmitted after working really hard on it. I've also especially enjoyed having the opportunity to shadow, collaborate with and learn from my highly talented and experienced colleagues.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

I've learned many skills, possibly one of the standouts has been learning how to use video/audio editing software to create television and radio packages, something I didn't think I'd be able to do proficiently.
Have also been able to develop interpersonal skills, voice skills, and writing skills.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

4/5

The apprenticeship programme (academy and college training) is fairly well-structured, although minor improvements could be made with timing/scheduling of training.
At the start of the apprenticeship I believe a roadmap was set detailing how the apprentice's work placements should be arranged and structured, but this seems to be advisory rather than mandatory and is not necessarily followed by employment bases. This can be good and bad - it can allow for more flexibility and development in certain areas - but can also mean you miss out on getting experience in certain departments/disciplines unless you arrange it yourself.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

3/5

I've felt fairly supported, but would feel more supported if pay was higher. The salary is extremely low, and there's no additional remuneration for taking on higher responsibilities such as reporting. It has been difficult to survive amid a cost of living crisis on such low pay.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

The training provider offers fantastic support, top quality teaching, and plenty of one-to-one sessions as/when needed.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

5/5

Qualification covers the fundamentals of journalism to a high standard and equips you with the skills needed in the workplace.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

3/5

There weren't any extra-curricular activities when I joined my base, though I'm aware there are lots of activities at other bases, such as London. There are also plenty of virtual communities/networks which offer some in-person events but they're rarely in my area.
I have recently started a weekly Pickleball club at lunchtime which colleagues have joined.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend BBC to a friend?

Yes

Why?

The BBC offers you really unique opportunities I doubt you'd get elsewhere. For example, I've been fortunate to work on live reports at the Mercury Prize and MOBO Awards, both of which were fantastic experiences. I was trusted to work on important, leading regional news stories from quite early on in my apprenticeship, which has been incredibly rewarding.